Strategic Communication Design for enhanced MHHM Practices among School Girls in Tamil Nadu
Keywords:
Menstrual health, Strategic Communication, Schoolgirls, Tamil Nadu, Education, Stigma, Hygiene, Toolkit, MHHMAbstract
Menstrual health is more than just a hygiene issue—it’s a matter of dignity and empowerment. In Tamil Nadu, adolescent girls continue to face stigma, misinformation, and a lack of basic facilities when it comes to managing their periods. This study explores how strategic communication can help close these gaps. We conducted a mixed-methods study involving 750 schoolgirls across six districts in Tamil Nadu, and implemented a communication intervention among selected students. The results showed that culturally sensitive communication, especially when delivered through trusted channels like schools, significantly improved menstrual knowledge and practices. This paper advocates for enhanced menstrual education, improved infrastructure, and robust policies to support girls during a natural and critical phase of their lives.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Ballantyne, R., Fien, J., & Packer, J. (2001). Program effectiveness in facilitating intergenerational influence in environmental education: Lessons from the feild. The Journal of Environmental Education, 8-15.
CAG-Report. (2022). Performance audit on functioning of government secondary and higher secondary educational institutions: Government of Tamil Nadu (Report No. 10 of the year 2022). India: Government of India.
Chrisler, J. C. (2008). The Media Construct a Menstrual Monster: A Content Analysis of PMS Articles in the Popular Press. Women & Health, 16:2, 89-104.
Dwivedi, R. S. (2020). Effect of peer educator-PRAGATI (PeeR Action for Group Awareness through Intervention) on knowledge, attitude, and practice of menstrual hygiene in adolescent school girls. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 3593–3599.
Ellen Matthies, S. S. (2012). The role of parental behaviour for the development of behaviour specific environmental norms – The example of recycling and re-use behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 277-284.
Ellen McCammon, S. B. (2020). Exploring young women’s menstruation-related challenges in Uttar Pradesh, India, using the socio-ecological framework. Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 291–302.
Ghosh S, S. M. (2013). Health Communication and Behavioural Change: An Exploratory Study among Marginalized Communities in Rural West Bengal, India. Journal of Health Management, 15, 307–327.
Gundi M, S. M. (2019). Menstrual health communication among Indian adolescents: A mixed-methods study. PLOS ONE.
Gupta, R. S. (2019). MENSTRUAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT: LESSONS FROM TAMIL NADU. 1-29.
Johnston-Robledo, I. &. (2013). The menstrual mark: Menstruation as social stigma. . Sex Roles, 68, 9-18.
Jothy, K. &. (2012). Is menstrual hygiene and management an issue for the rural adolescent school girls. Elixir Soc Sci, 44, 7223-8.
Kilbourne, J. (2021, August 25). Ads not only sell products; they sell concepts of love, success, sexuality, and normalcy. The Overview – A digital platform exploring topics in creative culture, digital society, and technology.
Kuczynski, L. (2003). Handbook of dynamics in parent-child relations. Sage Publications.
Maitri Vayeda, V. G. (2021). mproving menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in tribal areas of Gujarat: An evaluation of an implementation model integrating the government service delivery system. . Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 29(2),.
Moschis, G. P. (1985). The Role of Family Communication in Consumer Socialization of Children and Adolescents. Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 11, Issue 4,, 898–913.
Narayan, P. (2020). Menstrual Knowledge and Hygiene among Adolescent Girls in Tamil Nadu: A Reticent Matter that Needs Openness. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development.
O’Sullivan, G. Y. (2003). A Field Guide to Designing a Health Communication Strategy . Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs, 1-308.
Oxley. (1998). Menstrual management: An exploratory study. Feminism & Psychology, 8, 185–191.
Panda A, S. A. (2009). Impact of Information, Education and Communication on Adolescent Reproductive Health. Journal of Health Management, 445-472.
Sharma, G. (2022). Traditional Beliefs and Practices Regarding Menstruation: A Study from Himachal Pradesh. National Journal of Professional Social Work Volume 23, Issue 2, 105-113.
Singh, P. (2020). Omission of Menstruation in Female- Centric Bollywood Movies. Beyond Blood. .
Sumit Aggarwal, D. A. (2021). Menstrual Hygiene Practices of Adolescent Girls in Rural Maharashtra. Indian Journal of Gender Studies , 127–137.
Swierad, O. W. (2019). A Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model for Diverse Communities. Environmental Research and Public Health, 1-17.
Swierad, O. W. (2019). A Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model for Diverse Communities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 1-17.
Syed Hasan Nawaz Zaidi, A. S. (2015). Menstrual hygiene and sanitation practices among adolescent school-going girls: A study from a South Indian town. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 2(2),, 189–194.
Thakur, H. A. (2018). Knowledge, practices, and restrictions related to menstruation among young women from low socioeconomic community in Mumbai, India. Frontiers in Public Health, 313.
UNESCO. (2023). Menstrual health and hygiene management: A module for teachers and educators. UNESCO New Delhi Multisectoral Regional Office. ISBN: 978-81-89218-86-7.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
