Table 2 Table showing socio-cultural practices followed by study participants while menstruating
Menstrual Practices (N = 1342) | Frequency (percentage) N (%) |
|---|---|
Touches plant/ fruits/ vegetables | 700 (52.2) |
Prays | 227 (16.9) |
Attends school/ work | 1059 (78.9) |
Sleeps in her usual bed | 1066 (79.4) |
Touches male members of the family | 901 (67.1) |
Eats with family | 932 (69.5) |
Enters the kitchen | 827 (61.6) |
Cooks food | 730 (54.4) |
Touches water taps | 909 (67.7) |
Touches pickled food (achar) | 695 (51.8) |
Eats dairy products | 907 (67.6) |
Purifies bed and bed sheets on 4th day of menstruation | 888 (66.2) |
Enters places of worship | 142 (10.6) |
Visits relatives | 783 (58.4) |
Attends social gatherings | 817 (60.9) |
Attends religious gatherings | 169 (12.6) |
Wears specific sets of clothes while menstruating | 275 (20.5) |
Mentions menstruation openly | 643 (47.9) |
Person who generally cooks in the familya | |
Participant herself | 807 (60.1) |
Participant’s Children | 48 (3.6) |
Participant’s Husband | 43 (3.2) |
Other family members | 543 (40.5) |
Maid | 36 (2.7) |
Others | 61 (4.6) |
Person who cooks in the family while the participant is menstruatinga | |
Participant herself | 648 (48.3) |
Participant’s Children | 81 (6.0) |
Participant’s Husband | 79 (5.9) |
Other family members | 687 (51.2) |
Maid | 34 (2.5) |
Others | 55 (4.1) |
Things to purify on 4th day of menstruation# | |
Kitchen | 245 (18.3) |
Bed | 738 (55.0) |
Whole house | 185 (13.8) |
Nothing | 455 (33.9) |