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Barsharani Maharana, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Mumbai, India
Using NFHS-4 data this study endeavours to explore the socio-economic and demographic factors in explaining the rural-urban gap in use of hygienic methods of menstrual protection in Bihar. Bivariate analysis, Logistic regression model and Fairlie’s decomposition technique are used to identify significant determinants of the use of hygienic methods, to compute the rural-urban difference, and then to decompose these differentials into their separate underlying factors. Finding from Bivariate analysis indicates wide rural-urban difference among youth in use of hygienic method of menstrual protection. Logistic regression analysis reveals that educational qualification, household wealth, caste and awareness of STIs are the significant predictors of hygienic method. Further, results from Fairlie’s decomposition technique depicts the rural-urban gap in use of hygienic method of menstrual protection is largely explained by the distribution of covariates in rural and urban area. The large part of rural disadvantage in use of hygienic method is attributable to the underlying disadvantage in educational qualification, household wealth, toilet facility and awareness of STIs. Hence, there is a need of evolving policies and efforts to improve household wealth, female education level, create awareness on menstrual hygiene and distribution of sanitary napkins among youths in a subsidised rate especially in rural Bihar.
Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Children and youth, Decomposition analysis/methods, Policy