Impact Assessment of Monthly Informal Health Awareness Sessions, as a Part of the Village Adoption Scheme on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Menstrual Health and Hygiene, in Young Women, Over Three Years in a Rural Setting in Central Maharashtra

Abstract

Menstrual health is often overlooked in rural and tribal regions of India, where cultural taboos, misinformation, and poor hygiene practices persist. This study assessed the impact of monthly informal menstrual health awareness sessions, conducted as part of an institutional village adoption program, on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among women in a tribal village in central Maharashtra. A community-based mixed-methods study was carried out from 2019 to 2022 using a pre- and post-intervention design. Monthly sessions were led by trained medical students. Data collection involved door-to-door surveys using a structured KAP questionnaire and focus group discussion. Quantitative data were analyzed using Chi-square and t-tests, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Seventy-five women aged 18–45 completed the baseline questionnaire, and 86 participated post-intervention. Significant improvements were seen in menstrual knowledge: understanding of the physiological basis of menstruation rose from 32.0% to 67.4% (p < 0.001), and awareness of its reproductive role increased from 49.3% to 75.6% (p < 0.01). Self-reported menstrual-related absenteeism declined from 17.3% to 8.1% (p = 0.04), and restrictive practices like temple avoidance dropped from 46.7% to 22.1% (p < 0.01). Qualitative findings highlighted greater openness and confidence among adolescent girls and reduced stigma in community discussions. The study demonstrates that sustained, informal awareness sessions can significantly improve menstrual health literacy and reduce stigma in low-resource settings. This scalable, low-cost model holds potential for wider implementation to support health education, school attendance, and women's well-being in similar communities.