Teaching menstrual care skills to intellectually disabled female students

Abstract

Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to teach pad replacement skills to intellectually disabled adolescent female students during their menstruation periods by demonstrating on a dummy.

Background: It may be difficult to make intellectually disabled adolescents achieve self-care during menstruation. In addition, there are difficulties experienced in explaining menstruation, such as physical changes and the practice of cleaning during this period.

Design: The study used a 'One group pretest and post-test model'.

Method: The study was performed in a special educational institution. The population consisted of 77 female students in the high school section. Calculation of a sample size was not attempted, and 54 students with no attendance issues agreed to take part in the study and were included.

Results: In this work, we found that pad replacement training significantly changed the scores of mentally disabled adolescents before and after training. Our training yielded positive results, and the population improved their skills at all stages of skill building.

Conclusion: Training adolescents with mental disabilities helped them gain hygiene habits. Performance of these trainings occurs at the beginning of menstrual hygiene education.

Relevance to clinical practice: To achieve improved success in life, it is important that adolescents assume the responsibility of self-care and manage sustained care activity on their own.

Keywords: intellectually disabled female; nurse; pad replacement; sex education; sexual/reproductive health.