Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards Menstrual Hygiene among Government and Private School Girls KAP towards menstrual hygiene in school girls

Menstruation is a normal physiological process unique to females. Pre-menarche is characterized by physiological, cognitive, and psychological transitions which may be initiated from the midst of their second decade. The onset of puberty/ menstruation in girls tends to change their role in society. Overall inadequate awareness levels accompanied by socio-cultural taboos and prevailing myths and misconceptions about menarche and menstruation have played havoc on human society. Objective: To diagnose and compare the prevailing level ofknowledge, attitude, and practices of adolescent girls studying in government and private schoolstowards menstrual hygiene and management. Methods: This Analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted at Government Jouhar Girls High School and Shiblee Grammar School System, Gulberg Branch (private) Faisalabad. A self-administered survey-based questionnaire was developed. Prior formal written approval from school authorities was followed by the pre-planned scheduled visits, explaining the purpose of the study, assuring confidentiality of acquired information, and self-administration of survey-based questionnaires. Results: The results indicated that the mean age at menarches of the girls was 13.69±0.95 years. A relatively more percentage of government (59.6%) school respondents followed by private school respondents (57.1%) had satisfactory knowledge about their age of first menarche (p = 0.806). Motivated by the socio-cultural taboos and /or fear or shame a majority of government (59.6%) and private school respondents (57.1%) had satisfactory knowledge about their age of first menarche (p = 0.806). A strong prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) was found in private school girls 87(49.2%) and 21(11.9%), followed by respective percentages of 78(43.8%), 16(9.0%) amongst the government school respondents who recorded their responses as agreed and strongly agreed about the development of reproductive tract infection in the post-menstruation period. As far as the adoption of hygienic practices is concerned a relatively high percentage of government school 28(15.7%) followed by private school 14(7.9%) girls strongly disagreed about changing their absorbent material on daily basis. The development of skin abrasions like rashes, itching, and urinary tract infection was found in a relatively high proportion amongst the government school girls 30(16.9%) followed by private school respondents 18(10.2%) in the post-menstruation period. A most common and alarming unhygienic practice prevalent amongst the government and private school girls was the reuse of absorbent cloth,   who responded as agreed and strongly agreed in respective terms as 43(24.2%),   22(12.4%), and 69(39%) and 28(15.8%).  Conclusions: The study concluded that the persistent myths, misconceptions, socio-cultural taboos, and unhygienic practices i.e. Use of old clothes as absorbent, reuse of absorbent material, and delaying tendency of changing absorbent,   amongst the adolescent school girls of government and private institutes which may pose direct adverse health and life quality concerns for the female Pakistani community. The current situation calls for active participatory contributions from education communities to initiate various communication and awareness campaigns regarding pre-menarche knowledge and menstruation management which may aid to strengthen and transform their role as a significant representative of society. 

A Mixture Theory Apporach for Modeling Fluid Flow Through Deformable Porous Tissues

In this thesis, the problems of flow and ion-induced deformation of soft porous bi ological tissues have been examined by using continuum mixture theory approach. In particular, we focus on the tissue deformation due to non-Newtonian fluid and externally applied magnetic field. In this regard, we first analyze the problem of non-Newtonian flow-induced deformation from pressurized cavities in absorbing porous tissues. Specifically, a model with a spherical cavity embedded in an in finite porous medium is used to find fluid pressure and solid displacement in the tissue as a function of non-dimensional radial distance and time. The governing nonlinear equations have been solved numerically to highlight effects of various emerging parameters. Furthermore, based on the geometry of the previous prob lem, the effect of the externally applied magnetic field on flow-induced deformation of absorbing porous tissues is investigated. A biphasic mixture theory approach has been used to develop a mathematical model. The governing dimensionless equations for fluid pressure and solid displacement have been solved numerically using the method of lines approach and the trapezoidal rule, respectively. The effect of magnetic parameter on fluid pressure and solid displacement is illustrated graphically. Finally, the problem of ion-induced deformation of articular cartilage with strain-dependent nonlinear permeability and magnetohydrodynamic effects is presented. The governing set of coupled partial differential equations are non dimensionalized using suitable dimensionless variables. Analytical solutions are provided for the constant permeability case whereas for the nonlinear permeabil ity case the displacement equation is solved numerically using the method of lines technique. The influence of magnetic and permeability parameter on solid dis placement and fluid pressure is illustrated graphically. In some cases, a graphical comparison to the previously reported literature is also presented.