A comparative study of the knowledge and practices related to menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in urban and rural areas of Sindh, Pakistan: A cross-sectional study

Menstrual hygiene management plays a significant role in the achievement of sustainable development goals, including good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, women's empowerment, and sanitation. Even though the United Nations emphasizes menstrual hygiene management as a global public health and human rights issue, studies from different parts of the world have shown there is a lack of policies in this area that affects adolescent girls. The study aimed to assess the menstrual-related knowledge and practices of adolescent girls (10-18 years) attending urban and rural public schools of district Khairpur of province Sindh of Pakistan. This research is an analytical cross-sectional study design. Adolescent girls ( = 310), 159 girls from urban and 159 girls from rural schools, were enrolled. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Knowledge was considered satisfactory if the participant scored ⩾12/20, and 10 and poor for