Socio–cultural Perceptions and Practices around Menarche: A study among Schedule Caste College Students in Tamil Nadu, India

Dr. A. K. Ravisankar; Dr. V. Venkateswarulu

Volume : VII, Issue : VII, July - 2017

Socio–cultural Perceptions and Practices around Menarche: A study among Schedule Caste College Students in Tamil Nadu, India

Dr. A. K. Ravisankar, Dr. V. Venkateswarulu

Abstract :

Though, menstruation is a natural and physiological process for all healthy adult women as ever it has been surrounded by secrecy and myths in many societies. With this in mind, this paper made an attempt to study the socio–cultural perception and practices among the college going SC students. This study was conducted during 2015 among 634 students who staying at Adi Dravidar Welfare hostels. Majority of the study population families followed many restrictions and the controlled the menstruated girl’s mobility and behavior. It indicates that the study society strongly believed that the women during menses are impure or unclean to perform their religious duties. This may possibly due to their ignorance and false perceptions regarding menstruation. Thus the above results of the study reinforce the need to educate the youth in the country about the issues and facts of menstruation, physiological implications regarding significance of menstruation and development of secondary sexual characteristics. This can be promoted and achieved through vigorous IEC activities such as like television educational program, compulsory family life education curriculum in schools and knowledgeable interactions of health personnel, teachers and parents with adolescent girls.