Impact of Health Education on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Menstrual Cup Use Among Female Medical and Allied Health Science Students in South India: A Prospective Interventional Study.

BACKGROUND: Menstrual cups remain underused due to poor awareness and misconceptions. This study assessed the impact of structured health education on their acceptance among young women in health-related fields. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the baseline levels of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) related to menstrual cups and to determine the effectiveness of a structured educational intervention in improving these parameters. METHODS: A prospective study (June 2023-May 2024) among 1000 female students assessed KAP before and after a structured educational session. Knowledge and attitude were reassessed immediately, and usage at 3 months. Data was analyzed using standard statistical tests in SPSS v20.0. RESULTS: The average age of participants was 22.86 years (± 2.85). Prior to the intervention, 79.5% of students had heard of menstrual cups. After the session, awareness increased to 100% (p < 0.0001). Willingness to try menstrual cups increased from 1.8 to 40.9% (p < 0.0001). Usage at 3-month mark rose from 2.4 to 10.2% (p < 0.0001). Factors independently associated with willingness to use MCs included age over 20 years (OR 0.21), urban residence (OR 18.3), good knowledge levels (OR 2.80), and a positive attitude (OR 5.34). CONCLUSION: Targeted health education promotes menstrual cup use and empowers future healthcare professionals to advocate sustainable hygiene practices.