Arumadi Anupama, Raman Rupesh, Thayyil Nourin A, Rasheed Ruby R
Community Medicine, Kunhitharuvai Memorial Charitable Trust (KMCT) Medical College, Kozhikode, IND.
Cureus. 2023 Sep 28;15(9):e46151. doi: 10.7759/cureus.46151. eCollection 2023 Sep.
Sanitary napkins form a major source of solid waste, the disposal of which often results in environmental pollution. Menstrual cups are an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to sanitary pads that have yet to gain much popularity among Indian women. The current study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and experiences of using the menstrual cup among medical students in a college in north Kerala, India. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 109 female medical students. Data was collected through an online platform and analyzed using Epi Info version 7.2 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA).
Though all the participants had heard about the menstrual cup before, only 14 (12.8%) were using it either alone or in conjunction with sanitary pads. The majority of the participants had a positive attitude towards the usage of menstrual cups with 91.74% considering it a better alternative to other sanitary products, Among the several concerns expressed by the participants, 58.7% were concerned about the insertion of a foreign material into their bodies.
Though most of the participants displayed a positive attitude towards the menstrual cup, the number of participants who had ever tried it was very low. There are several apprehensions regarding the cup that need to be addressed before it can be expected to gain popularity.
卫生巾是固体废弃物的主要来源之一，其处理常常导致环境污染。月经杯是一种环保且经济高效的卫生巾替代品，但在印度女性中尚未得到广泛普及。本研究旨在评估印度喀拉拉邦北部一所学院的医学生对使用月经杯的认知、态度及使用体验。
本横断面研究在109名女医学生中开展。通过在线平台收集数据，并使用Epi Info 7.2版本（美国疾病控制与预防中心，佐治亚州亚特兰大）进行分析。
尽管所有参与者之前都听说过月经杯，但只有14人（12.8%）单独使用或与卫生巾一起使用。大多数参与者对使用月经杯持积极态度，91.74%的人认为它是其他卫生用品的更好替代品。在参与者表达的诸多担忧中，58.7%的人担心将异物插入体内。
尽管大多数参与者对月经杯持积极态度，但实际尝试过的参与者数量非常少。在月经杯有望普及之前，有几个关于它的担忧需要解决。
