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Effect of Menstrual Cup Education on Menstrual Cup Knowledge among Female University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Menstrual health is an important component of women's health and wellbeing, particularly among female university students who may experience challenges related to menstrual hygiene management while balancing academic, social, and other responsibilities. Menstrual cups are reusable menstrual hygiene products that can provide an alternative to disposable menstrual products and may offer benefits related to cost, reusability, and waste reduction when used appropriately. However, limited knowledge, misconceptions, concerns about safety and insertion, cultural beliefs, privacy concerns, and inadequate access to reliable menstrual health information may affect awareness and acceptance of menstrual cups among female university students in Nigeria. Menstrual cup education provides an opportunity to improve students' understanding of menstrual cups, including their design, appropriate use, cleaning, storage, safety considerations, advantages, limitations, and circumstances requiring professional healthcare advice. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of menstrual cup education on menstrual cup knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Theory of Planned Behavior. The Health Belief Model explains how students' perceptions of the benefits, barriers, safety, and health implications of menstrual cup use may influence their acquisition of menstrual cup knowledge and willingness to consider the product. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes observational learning, self-efficacy, social support, behavioural capability, and environmental influences in developing menstrual health knowledge and practices. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions may influence students' understanding and acceptance of menstrual cup use. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how menstrual cup education may influence menstrual cup knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise female undergraduate students enrolled in selected universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, universities, faculties, departments, and eligible female students. Menstrual cup education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to structured menstrual cup education, frequency and duration of educational sessions, information on menstrual cup design and materials, appropriate selection and use, insertion and removal procedures, cleaning and storage, hygiene and infection prevention, duration of use, disposal or replacement considerations, potential advantages and limitations, safety precautions, and appropriate healthcare-seeking when problems occur. Menstrual cup knowledge will be assessed using indicators such as understanding of menstrual cup function, appropriate use, insertion and removal, cleaning, storage, hygiene requirements, safety considerations, advantages, limitations, and misconceptions surrounding menstrual cup use. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires and appropriate menstrual health knowledge assessment instruments. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' characteristics, exposure to menstrual cup education, and levels of menstrual cup knowledge. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of menstrual cup education on menstrual cup knowledge. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, menstrual cup knowledge scores before and after structured education may be compared, while relevant demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, educational, menstrual, and access-related factors are appropriately controlled. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that menstrual cup education has a significant positive effect on menstrual cup knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. Students who receive structured and practical menstrual cup education are expected to demonstrate higher knowledge scores regarding menstrual cup use, hygiene, safety, cleaning, storage, benefits, and limitations than students with limited exposure to menstrual cup information. Practical demonstrations and opportunities to ask questions may help correct misconceptions and increase students' understanding of appropriate menstrual cup use. Education may also improve awareness of menstrual cup safety and the importance of following manufacturer or healthcare-provider instructions. However, cultural beliefs, concerns about insertion, misconceptions about menstrual cups, lack of privacy, religious or social norms, limited product availability, affordability, and inadequate access to reliable menstrual health information may influence students' knowledge and perceptions. The study therefore expects accessible, culturally sensitive, evidence-based, and practical menstrual cup education to contribute significantly to improved menstrual cup knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on menstrual cup education, menstrual cup knowledge, menstrual hygiene management, menstrual health, menstrual products, university students, women's health, health education, sustainable menstrual health practices, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, universities, student health services, healthcare providers, public health educators, women's health programmes, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving menstrual health knowledge among young women. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for incorporating comprehensive menstrual product education into university health programmes, developing culturally appropriate menstrual health education materials, training health educators in accurate menstrual cup information, improving access to reliable menstrual health resources, and supporting informed menstrual hygiene choices among female university students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Menstrual cup education, menstrual cup knowledge, female university students, menstrual hygiene management, menstrual health, menstrual hygiene products, women's health, health education, sustainable menstrual health, Nigeria, public health.