Magnitude of safe menstrual hygiene management practice and its associated factors among adolescents’ girls in secondary and preparatory schools in Dire Dawa city, Eastern Ethiopia, 2023

Background: In Africa, numerous adolescent girls miss school due to menstrual cramps, inadequate menstrual hygiene supplies, insufficient water and sanitation facilities in educational institutions, and anxiety regarding potential menstrual accidents. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of safe menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices in Dire Dawa City, Eastern Ethiopia, in 2023.  Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was carried out in Dire Dawa City, Eastern Ethiopia.  A Participants were chosen through a simple random sampling method. Data entry was performed using Epi Data version 4.1, and analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized to explore the relationship between MHM and independent variables. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and a p value of less than 0.05 were deemed statistically significant.  Results: The findings revealed that 62.6% of the students practiced safe MHM. Factors significantly associated with safe MHM included the residence of adolescent girls [AOR=2.58, 95% CI=1.37-4.83], the educational level of mothers [AOR=2.94, 95% CI=1.26-5.05], receiving regular pocket money from parents [AOR=1.9, 95% CI=1.2-2.98], and family size [AOR=5.5, 95% CI=3.12-9.89].  Conclusions: The study indicates that over half of the adolescent girls engaged in safe MHM practices. It is recommended that educational initiatives be implemented for rural teenage girls regarding safe menstrual hygiene practices, alongside fostering family support through resources and guidance.