Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Reproductive Health among Urban and Rural Girls: A Comparative Study

Study aims at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding reproductive health among 200 school girls in the age 15-19 years from rural and urban settings of Jaipur. Simple random sampling was used. Three point scale to assess awareness level of reproductive health was designed. The result showed 40 percent rural girls and 60 percent urban girls considered menstrual as natural phenomena while 39 percent of urban girls and 56 percent of rural girls took it as disease. 11 percent of urban and 28 percent of rural girls were not aware about the gap of periodic menstruation cycle. Differences were evident in the perception of urban and rural respondents regarding the right age of menarche. Menarche varied widely, within the population. 33 percent urban respondent had prior information regarding menstruation, 62 percent rural respondent were unaware of the right age of menarche. Majority girls had several taboos, regarding reproductive health.