Shahad T Abuawf

Lancaster University (Bailrigg, UK) | | Degree: BSc Hons Sport and Exercise Sciences
The importance of an educational intervention to knowledge, awareness, military practice, and self-control while performing field work of menstrual health in military female personnel recruit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

The first Saudi female recruits in frontline graduated in September 2021 military role in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). One of the five key research areas identified in the female military is menstrual health. It is reported to be an essential factor in training camps for female trainee soldiers because it is a sex-specific experience that must be part of the training consideration to ensure readiness. However, there was a lack of studies assessing knowledge, awareness, practice (KAP), and self-control (SC) in KSA. The objective of this study was to evaluate the KAP+SC of menstrual cycle (MC) among Saudi female trainee soldiers in the General Directorate of Public Security (Interior ministry) in KSA to identify the extent of their knowledge and awareness toward MC and its impact on their military practices and SC during field performances before and after an educational intervention about MC. The educational intervention was provided through a lecture with a pre-and-post-KAP+SC questionnaires. K/A/P/SC assessed using Likert scales through 48 questions provided to the female trainee soldiers. Demographic data were collected on 150 females (29 years ± 3.4 SD) recruited to the General Directorate of Public Security within the Ministry of Interior in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in August 2022. Female military recruits were split into a control group (n = 74, age 29.1 ± 2.9) and a treatment group (n = 76, age 29.2± 3.3) both completed KAP and SC questionnaires, while the treatment group receiving the educational intervention. Educational intervention affected the pre and post KAP and SC average scores in the treatment group with a positive significant improvement and P-values less than <0.05 (Knowledge's P-value= 0.000, Awareness's P-value= 0.000, Practice’s P-value= 0.034, and SC’s P value= 0.029). High level of knowledge, awareness, practice, and higher self-control is achieved after the influence of MC educational intervention, and significant difference between the treatment group and the control group when compare it pre to post. An educational intervention of the MC is essential to be included in military training camps to increase KAP and SC. Further future research should be conducted on female health in military settings to acknowledge the females’ soldiers needs and the type of educational intervention about menstruation need to be addressed. Keywords: Menstrual cycle, Military Education, Saudi Female Soldiers, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice, Self-control.

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Shahad T Abuawf