Menstrual solutions in adolescent schoolgirls in western Kenya: an acceptability, feasibility and safety study

青春期女学生认为月经管理是她们的主要压力源之一。月经困难导致缺课和辍学，但关于真正影响的研究有限，缺乏基线工具和数据。一种解决方案是月杯，这是一种存储月经流量的硅胶钟形容器，自20世纪30年代以来就可以买到，在肯尼亚和国际上销售。我们将对月经解决方案进行一项随机概念验证可行性研究，以量化月杯、卫生巾和“常规做法”在肯尼亚西部人口健康和监测点15所学校的750名女学生中的文化接受度、使用情况、满意度、成本和安全性。学校护士筛查、自我完成的月经日历、行为调查、学校和家庭的水/卫生/个人卫生(WASH)评估、学校自然减员的测量以及金黄色葡萄球菌污染、艾滋病毒、性传播感染和生殖道感染的实验室检查将使我们能够确定结局指标的患病率，并排除中毒性休克综合征和其他安全问题。定性研究将提供背景信息，以了解结果和行为的原因。数据将为政策提供参考，并为准备一项随机对照试验提供基线信息和统计数据，以检查月经解决方案的成本效益，以减少学校自然减员和改善福祉

Adolescent schoolgirls consider menstrual management as one of their main stressors. Menstrual difficulties result in missed schooling and drop-out, but studies on the true impact are limited, and baseline tools and data are lacking. One solution is Mooncups, silicone bell receptacles that store menstrual flow, available since the 1930s and marketed in Kenya and internationally. We will conduct a randomized proof of concept feasibility study on menstrual solutions to quantify cultural acceptance, use, satisfaction, costs and safety of Mooncups, sanitary pads and 'usual practice' in 750 schoolgirls in 15 schools in the demographic health and surveillance site in western Kenya. School nurse screening, self-completed menstrual calendars, behaviour surveys, water / sanitation / hygiene (WASH) evaluation in schools and homes, measures of school attrition, and laboratory checks on Staph aureus contamination, HIV, STI and reproductive tract infections will enable us to determine prevalence rates for outcome indicators, and exclude toxic shock syndrome and other safety concerns. Qualitative studies will provide contextual information to understand reasons for outcomes and behaviours. Data will inform policy and provide baseline information and statistics for the preparation of a randomized controlled trial to examine the cost-effectiveness of menstrual solutions to reduce school attrition and improve wellbeing