Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: WASH Practices and its Association with Nutritional Status of Adolescent Girls in 
Poverty Pockets of Eastern India  
 
Version: 0 Date: 04 Mar 2019  
 
Reviewer: Kelly Alexander  
Reviewer's report:  
Line 180 - I would take out "mainly in Indian context"  
Line 182 - social backward -- commonly used in India but this and "backward classes" needs 
some explanation in the intro  
253 - outside the  
254 this is confusing because those without  a sanitation facility were classified as OD, right? So 
does this include those girls that also report OD? just a bit confused about 84% and 82% in same 
sentence.  
261 almost half the girls REPORTED that they could not  
264 "other religions" said before you talk about the Hindi religion. so swap sentences or say - 
non Hindi religion  
267 Anganwadi capitalized or not?  
286 - outside the home or premisis  
287 unimproved includes lack of facility  
289 delete had  
290 - association in which direction? this changes how  the next two sentences are interpreted  
303 - I am not sure WASH and nutrition are inadequately studied: I might say there have been 
mixed results?  
314 - delete implementation  
330 - are not deterring -- is not right?  
333 - "a" not another  
333 - seems like "mainly in Indian context" not needed and this sentence can be combined with 
the next one  
336 - "...create less environmental pollution, but are gradually being replaced by disposable 
sanitary napkins, particularly in urban areas."  
340 - What unhygenic pra ctices? This is confusing.  
343 - "ruled out" - this is an awkward way to convey this. Also, what about the reported quality 
of these free sanitary napkins? UNICEF must know about these reports from school girls. And 
does distribution include out of school girls?  
359 - MUAC 19cm: I didn't see reference in the paper of what this number with MUAC means 
(i.e. thin was expressed, but unclear what the normal range is for MUAC for adolescent girls)  
383 - footfalls - not sure what this means  
TABLE 1: Uses napkin? H as used? used during most recent menstruation? (used napkin during 
menstruation)  
TABLE 3: "association between menstrual hygiene" -- what does this mean? As in what does 
Menstrual Hygiene mean here? Using a disposable sanitary napkin is "menstrual hygiene" ? I am 
confused.  
Are the methods appropriate and well descri bed?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional  statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
 
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