Abstract
Background: Unhygienic practices during menstruation among mentally retarded female students' endanger their reproductive health and expose them to reproductive diseases such as reproductive tract infections and pelvic inflammatory diseases.
Aim: This study aimed to assess knowledge and reported practices regarding menstrual hygiene among mentally retarded female students' at Cairo Governorate preparatory mainstream schools.
Design: A descriptive exploratory research design was utilized in this study.
Setting: Three educational departments were selected randomly from all educational departments at Cairo Gover-norate. All schools that are affiliated to these three educational departments were included in the study. Total number was 14 preparatory mainstream schools.
The study Sample: Convenient sample of 100 mentally retarded female students' from the fourteen selected schools were included in the study.
Tool for Data Collection: One tool consisted of three parts was used to collect data pertinent to the study. First part: Student questionnaire about demographic characteristics of the mentally retarded female students' and their parents. Second part: Data about level of knowledge regarding men-struation and menstrual hygiene. Third part: Data about reported practices regarding menstrual hygiene.
Results: Study result revealed that 86% of the mentally retarded female students' had poor knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene, while 14% of them had good knowledge. Regarding reported practices 80% of them had poor practice, while 20% had good practice. There were statistically signif-icant relationship between practice scores and the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) with p-value=0.006. There were statistically significant relationship between practice scores and family history of mental retardation with p-value=0.001, between knowledge scores and students' IQ with p-value=0.001 and between total knowledge scores and total practice scores with p-value=0.042.
Conclusion: The study concluded that, the majority of mentally retarded females have poor knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene.
Recommendations: The study recommended that imple-mentation of educational program to parents and mentally retarded female students' about the menstruation and good menstrual hygiene is very important.