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Impact of Menstrual Product Accessibility on School Attendance among Female Secondary School Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Menstrual product accessibility is an important public health and educational issue because inadequate access to affordable, acceptable, and hygienic menstrual products may affect the ability of female students to manage menstruation safely and participate fully in school activities. Female secondary school students in Nigeria may experience challenges related to the affordability and availability of sanitary pads and other menstrual products, particularly in low-income and underserved communities. Limited access may contribute to the use of inappropriate menstrual materials, missed classes, early departure from school, difficulty participating in physical activities, embarrassment, reduced concentration, and other challenges associated with menstrual management. Improving access to appropriate menstrual products may therefore support menstrual health, dignity, school participation, and educational continuity. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of menstrual product accessibility on school attendance among female secondary school students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Social Ecological Model, Health Belief Model, and Menstrual Health Management Framework. The Social Ecological Model explains how individual, family, school, community, economic, and policy-level factors interact to influence menstrual health management and school participation. The Health Belief Model explains how students' perceptions of menstrual-related health concerns, perceived benefits of appropriate menstrual management, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action may influence menstrual practices and school attendance. The Menstrual Health Management Framework emphasizes access to appropriate menstrual materials, adequate water and sanitation facilities, privacy, information, supportive environments, and the ability to manage menstruation with dignity as important components of menstrual health. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how menstrual product accessibility may influence school attendance among female secondary school students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise female secondary school students aged approximately 10–19 years who have experienced menstruation and are enrolled in selected public and private secondary schools across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, local government areas, communities, schools, classes, and eligible students. Menstrual product accessibility will be assessed using indicators such as availability of sanitary pads and other appropriate menstrual products, affordability, distance to purchasing points, regularity of supply, ability to obtain products when needed, access to emergency menstrual products at school, availability of different product options, household financial capacity to purchase menstrual products, and school-based menstrual product support where available. School attendance will be assessed using indicators such as number of school days attended during menstruation, menstruation-related absenteeism, frequency of missed classes, early departure from school because of menstruation, lateness during menstrual periods, participation in classroom activities, participation in physical education, and school attendance records where available. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, menstrual health assessment tools, menstrual product-accessibility assessments, school attendance records, and relevant school health or welfare records. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, menstrual experiences, menstrual product access, menstrual management practices, and patterns of school attendance. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of menstrual product accessibility on school attendance. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, attendance before and after the introduction of improved menstrual-product access may be compared with that of a comparison group to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that menstrual product accessibility has a significant positive impact on school attendance among female secondary school students in Nigeria. Students with reliable access to affordable and appropriate menstrual products are expected to have lower rates of menstruation-related absenteeism and greater ability to participate consistently in school activities than students experiencing inadequate access. Improved access may reduce the need to miss school because of lack of menstrual materials, fear of leakage, discomfort, embarrassment, or difficulties managing menstruation during school hours. School-based availability of menstrual products may also provide immediate support for students who begin menstruating unexpectedly or are unable to obtain products at home. However, poor sanitation facilities, inadequate privacy, menstrual stigma, lack of menstrual-health information, poverty, long distances to purchasing points, and cultural beliefs may continue to affect school attendance even when menstrual products are available. The study therefore expects affordable, reliable, acceptable, and sustainable access to menstrual products, combined with supportive school environments and adequate menstrual-health facilities, to contribute significantly to improved school attendance among female secondary school students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on menstrual health, menstrual product accessibility, menstrual hygiene management, school attendance, adolescent girls' health, reproductive health, gender equity, education, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, state ministries of health and education, secondary schools, school health programmes, local government authorities, non-governmental organizations, development partners, adolescent-health organizations, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving menstrual health and educational participation among adolescent girls. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for expanding access to affordable menstrual products, establishing school-based menstrual product support programmes, improving water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, strengthening menstrual-health education, reducing menstrual stigma, and developing sustainable policies that promote uninterrupted school attendance among female secondary school students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Menstrual product accessibility, school attendance, female secondary school students, menstrual health, menstrual hygiene management, adolescent health, menstrual products, reproductive health, gender equity, school health, Nigeria, public health.