Table 4 Demographic characteristics of participants and key results from descriptive analysis
Age | ||
 Mean | 17.5 years | SD = 1.3 years |
 Median | 17 years | IQR = 16–18 years |
 Range | 16–22 years |  |
Age at menarche | Â | |
 Mean | 13.4 years | SD = 1.5 years |
 Median | 13 years | IQR = 12–14 years |
 Range | 10–18 years |  |
| Â | % (n) | 95% CI |
Ever repeated a grade | ||
 Yes | 61.0% (285) | 56.6–65.5 |
 No | 38.8% (181) | 34.3–43.2 |
 Unsure | 0.2% (1) | 0–0.6 |
Race | ||
 Black | 94.0% (444) | 91.9–96.2 |
 Coloured | 4.7% (22) | 2.8–6.6 |
 White | 0.4% (2) | 0–1.0 |
 Indian | 0.2% (1) | 0–0.6 |
 Unsure | 0.6% (3) | 0–1.4 |
Sanitary product used most often | ||
 Disposable sanitary pads | 86.0% (406) | 82.9–89.2 |
 Panty liners | 6.6% (31) | 4.3–8.8 |
 Washable sanitary pads | 3.2% (15) | 1.6–4.8 |
 Tampons | 2.3% (11) | 1.0–3.7 |
 Other productsa | 0.8% (4) | 0–1.7 |
 Menstrual cup | 0.2% (1) | 0–0.6 |
 Unsure | 0.8% (4) | 0–1.7 |
Sources of sanitary productsb | ||
 From family | 82.6% (390) | 79.2–86.1 |
 From school | 33.7% (159) | 29.4–38.0 |
 Buy for themselves | 20.8% (98) | 17.1–24.4 |
 From their boyfriend | 3.4% (16) | 1.8–5.0 |
Method of product disposal while at schoolb | ||
 Waste bin | 67.5% (318) | 63.3–71.8 |
 Wait to dispose at home | 41.4% (195) | 36.9–45.9 |
 Flush down the toilet | 10.4% (49) | 7.6–13.2 |
 Burn | 6.8% (32) | 4.5–9.1 |
 Pit latrine | 1.7% (8) | 0.5–2.9 |
 Do not dispose (washable) | 1.5% (7) | 0.4–2.6 |
 Bury | 1.5% (7) | 0.4–2.6 |