Analysis of Menstrual Health and School Absenteeism Among Adolescent Girls in Anambra State

Menstrual health is a neglected dimension of adolescent girls' educational participation, and documenting its relationship to school absenteeism in Anambra State contributes to an underrepresented evidence base for South East Nigerian education policy. This study analysed menstrual health practices and their relationship to school absenteeism among 400 secondary school girls aged 12 to 19 in Awka South, Idemili South, and Onitsha North Local Government Areas, Anambra State. Data covered menstrual knowledge, sanitary material use, hygiene facility availability, pain management, and school days missed per cycle. Sixty-four percent of respondents used reusable cloth as their primary menstrual material. Schools in only 22.5 percent had private functional female toilets with water access. Mean school days missed per month due to menstruation was 1.9 days. Girls without pain relief medication missed significantly more days (mean 2.8) than those with access (mean 0.9, p < 0.001). Recommendations include installation of private female WASH facilities in all Anambra secondary schools, provision of affordable sanitary materials, school nurse access to pain relief, and integration of menstrual health education into secondary school health curricula in the South East zone. Keywords: menstrual health, school absenteeism, adolescent girls, Anambra State, WASH in schools These findings call for urgent investment in school WASH infrastructure, affordable sanitary materials, and school-based health support services in Anambra State.