EVALUATION OF GENITAL HYGIENE BEHAVIORS OF FEMALE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: IN TURKIYE

Aim: The study was conducted to evaluate the genital hygiene behaviors and orientations habits of female secondary school students in the adolescent period. Methods: The study was conducted in a descriptive and correlational design between February and June 2022 to determine. The study population consisted of 355 female students studying in all high schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Vize district of Kırklareli province in Turkiye. It aimed to reach the entire population without determining the sample size. As a result, 194 female students who volunteered to participate in the study were included in the sample. In data collection, the "Personal Information Form" and "Genital Hygiene Behavior Scale" were applied using the face-to-face interview method. Results: It was found that the mean age of the students was 15.74±1.1, the majority of them lived with their parents, more than half of them (67.5%) didn’t receive information about genital care and hygiene, almost all of them (92.3%) used materials for cleaning the genital area, their genital hygiene behaviors were positive, and they thought that they were given inadequate education about hygiene at school or in classes. It was determined that the genital hygiene behaviors and menstrual hygiene of the students living with only a mother or father were more positive, and the use of materials for genital hygiene was higher in the students living in the city center and district compared to the students living in the village. Conclusion: As a result, it was observed that the mother's education level, family income level, and the person living with her positively affected general hygiene and menstrual hygiene habits. Keywords: Adolescent, hygiene, genital hygiene, behavior, nursing