Factors associated with age at menarche, menstrual knowledge, and hygiene practices among schoolgirls in Sharjah, UAE

Age at the onset of menarche is affected by several factors. However, the characterization of such factors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains partly elusive. We investigated the factors influencing the mean menarcheal age in schoolgirls from Sharjah, UAE. We also evaluated the menstrual knowl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	International journal of adolescence and youth Vol. 29; no. 1
Main Authors:	Ali, Amena Mohamad, Bashier, Sara Alaaeldin, Ahmed, Shahad, Subeh, Hiyam Husam Eddin, Taha, Rania Mahmoud, Ibrahim, Samah Ali, Altelbani, Rahaf Fouad, Yakout, Nada Ayman, Davoodi, Asiyeh Ebrahim, Khalid, Amna, Karim, Asima
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Taylor & Francis Group 31-12-2024
Subjects:	body mass index hygiene practices knowledge Menarche schoolgirls
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	Age at the onset of menarche is affected by several factors. However, the characterization of such factors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains partly elusive. We investigated the factors influencing the mean menarcheal age in schoolgirls from Sharjah, UAE. We also evaluated the menstrual knowledge and hygiene practices in the study population. We recruited 410 schoolgirls aged 8–17 years in this cross-sectional study. Data were obtained via a self-administered questionnaire. The mean age at menarche was 11.5 years (±1.17 SD) in the study population. A significant correlation was found between lower household income and delayed age at menarche (p = 0.005). Students who were less than 12 years old attained menarche earlier than older students (p = 0.001). Among the participants, 57.7% had good knowledge about menstruation and 54.7% adopted adequate hygiene practices. The mean age at menarche in the UAE is lower than in other Gulf regions. Earlier implementation of menstrual education programmes at schools is recommended.
ISSN:	0267-3843 2164-4527
DOI:	10.1080/02673843.2024.2367117