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. 

Genetic Basis of Variation for Quantitative Traits Related to Boll, Seed Cotton Yield and Fibre Quality in Gossypium Hirsutuml.

Pakistan ranks at 4th position with respect to global area and production of cotton, however the yield level is still low as compared to other major cotton producing countries. There are so many pathways which contribute to the final yield of cotton plant, one of which may be the exploitation and selection for some basic traits related to boll. Keeping in view the importance of within-boll yield components in determining the final yield, present study was carried out in research area of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad to estimate the genetic basis of various yield and quality attributes, combining ability and heterotic manifestation and correlation of agronomic, boll related and fibre quality traits in Gossypium hirsutum L. For this study two crosses were made involving four contrasting parents with respect to seed cotton yield and fibre quality characters. Crosses were made following triple test cross model and data on various agronomic, boll related and fibre quality traits were recorded and analyzed. Significant amount of epistatic interaction was found to be involved in expression of almost all the traits. The additive variance was greater in magnitude that dominance variance for traits like number of bolls per plant, seed cotton yield per plant, lint percentage, lint index, fibre fineness, lint mass per boll and lint mass per seed resulting in partial degree of dominance for these traits. While dominance variance was found to be greater in magnitude than additive variance for average boll weight, fibre length, fibre strength, number of seeds per boll, seed mass per boll, seed index, seed volume and seed surface area resulting in over-dominance type of gene action. Seed density showed complete dominance of the genes. BH-89 showed highest positive GCA effects for most of the traits. Among testers, CIM-1100, CIM-496and FH- 634 showed significant GCA effects for most of the traits. NIAB-999 × CIM-70 proved to be the best regarding seed cotton yield per plant and seed surface area. Combination of S- 12 with (NIAB-228 × BH-160) showed maximum value regarding lint percentage, fibre length, seed volume and seed surface area, it also proved to be the best for seed density when combined with NIAB-228. The highest value of mid and better parent heterosis regarding number of bolls per plant (43.60% and 25.52%), seed cotton yield per plant (61.41% and 30.67%) and seed number per boll (17.28% and 16.14%) was observed for the hybrid BH-89 × CIM-496. Correlation studies revealed that bolls per plant were positively associated with seed cotton yield. Average boll weight showed significant positive correlation fibre strength and seed cotton yield. In the second cross, number of bolls per plant showed positive correlation with boll weight, fibre strength and seed cotton yield. Number of seeds per boll was positively associated with lint percentage, fibre length and seed cotton yield. Fibre length and fibre fineness were negatively correlated. Fibre length showed positive association with seed cotton yield.