Mother-Daughter Communication and Sanitary Pad Adoption among Junior Secondary School Girls in Peri-Urban Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract
Mother-daughter relationship is expected to commence from conception as the first companion that a child recognizes. Some mothers however tend to shield menstruation related information because it is considered “shameful”. Studies abound on menstruation, menstrual care practices and menstrual hygiene management in schools, but rare on mother-daughter communication on sanitary pad adoption among Junior Secondary School Girls in Peri-Urban settlements in Lagos State. This study sought to investigate the forms of mother-daughter communication on menstruation before, during, and after the commencement of menstruation; the level of influence of mother-daughter communication on Junior Secondary School Girls’ attitude on sanitary pad adoption; and the barriers to effective mother-daughter communication on sanitary pad adoption in Peri-Urban Lagos. Premised on the Social Learning Theory this study adopts the qualitative design combining Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with In-depth Interview (IDI). Three FGD sessions were held with 27 purposively sampled pubertal girls in three Peri-Urban schools while three Peri-Urban mothers with pubertal daughters in Junior Secondary Schools participated in the IDI. Findings reveal that Peri-urban mothers tend to influence their daughters’ adoption of sanitary pad, transmit the culture of secrecy about menstruation to their daughters through face-to-face communication, while urging their daughters to stay away from men to avoid pregnancy. Findings also suggest that Peri-urban mothers are culturally and religiously restricted from transmitting relevant menstrual related information while pubertal girls living with peri-urban foster parents are often neglected on menstrual related issues. Peri-urban schools are major sources of sanitary pad information through sensitization programmes, classroom teaching and counselling. The study recommend that Peri-Urban mothers should intensify efforts to educate their daughters on menstrual related issues to prevent menstrual related illness and diseases.
Keywords
Menstruation, Mother-Daughter Communication, Sanitary Pad Adoption, Junior Secondary School Girls, Peri-Urban Settlement