FACTORS AFFECTING SCHOOL ABSENCE AMONG SCHOOLGIRLS IN SOUTH TANGERANG, INDONESIA
AbstrakLatar belakang: Remaja perempuan sering memiliki pengetahuan yang kurang mengenai kesehatan reproduksi termasuk menstruasi, dan masalah menstruasi dapat mempengaruhi kehadiran siswi di sekolah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor yang berhubungan dengan ketidakhadiran siswi sekolah dasar selama masa menstruasi.Metode: Penelitian cross-sectional dilakukan di sembilan sekolah dasar di Kota Tangerang Selatan. Informasi yang dikumpulkan antara lain karakteristik demografi, umur menarche, durasi menstruasi, dismenore, pengetahuan, dan sumber informasi mengenai menstruasi dari remaja siswi. Partisipan terdiri dari 133 siswi yang telah mengalami menstruasi. Uji chi-square dan regresi logistik digunakan dalam data analisis.Hasil: Frekuensi siswi yang tidak masuk sekolah saat menstruasi cukup tinggi (19%). Rata-rata ketidakhadiran sebanyak 2,4 hari setiap siklus menstruasi, dan alasan utama ketidakhadiran di sekolah antara lain takut tembus (69%), rasa sakit/tidak nyaman (62%), dan ejekan dari siswa laki-laki (19%). Pengetahuan yang buruk tentang menstruasi (AOR = 5,24; 95% CI = 1,69-16,30) dan dismenore (AOR = 6,05; 95% CI = 1,32-27,69) mempunyai hubungan positif yang signifikan dengan ketidakhadiran di sekolah (p<0,05), sementara pendidikan ibu secara signifikan dapat mencegah ketidakhadiran siswi pada masa menstruasi (p<0,05).Kesimpulan: Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi ketidakhadiran siswi di sekolah adalah pengetahuan tentang menstruasi, dismenore, dan status pendidikan ibu. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa memberikan pengetahuan dan manajemen menstruasi dapat bermanfaat dalam mengurangi ketidakhadiran siswi akibat menstruasi di sekolah. Kata kunci: menstruasi, menarche, pengetahuan, ketidakhadiran di sekolah AbstractBackground: Adolescent girls often have limited knowledge regarding reproductive health including menstruation, and challenges associated with menstruation may affect girls’ school attendance. This study aimed to examine factors associated with school absence during menstruation among schoolgirls.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in nine elementary schools in the South Tangerang City. The information included the schoolgirls’ demographic background, menarche age, duration of menstrual, dysmenorrhea, knowledge about menstruation, and source of information related to menstruation. Participants were 133 schoolgirls who had experienced first menstruation. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used for data analysis.Results: The frequency of schoolgirls who missed school during menstruation was slightly high (19%). Absentee schoolgirls missed an average of 2.4 days each menstrual cycle, and main reasons for school absence were fear of leakage (69%), pain/discomfort (62%), and boys ridiculed (19%). Poor knowledge about menstruation (AOR = 5.24; 95 % CI = 1.69-16.30) and dysmenorrhea (AOR = 6.05; 95% CI: 1.32-27.69) revealed significant positive association with school absence during menstruation (p<0.05), while mother’s education had significantly prevented the schoolgirls from school absence during menstruation (p<0.05). Conclusion: Factors affecting school absence of schoolgirls included knowledge of menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and mother’s education status. The findings suggest that providing knowledge and menstrual management could benefit on reducing school absenteeism among schoolgirls due to menarche at school. Keywords: menstruation, menarche, knowledge, school absence