# Menstrual Cup Usage Among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Ernakulam District, Kerala

## TL;DR

This study examines menstrual cup usage among healthcare workers in Kerala, finding that only 43% used the cups despite awareness, with comfort and marital status as key factors.

## Contribution

The study provides novel insights into menstrual cup adoption among healthcare workers in a specific Indian context.

## Key findings

- Approximately 43% of participants used the menstrual cup they received.
- Comfort improved with repeated use, but initial attempts were uncomfortable.
- Married women were more likely to use menstrual cups than unmarried women.

## Abstract

Introduction

There has been a significant increase in the usage of sanitary pads, which are made of non-biodegradable plastic and harm the ecosystem. Although menstrual cups are an effective alternative, not many studies have been done to assess their usage among healthcare workers and the various factors associated with it.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers of the age group 18-45 years, who had collected a menstrual cup as part of the menstrual cup distribution drive in a medical college in Kerala. For the study, 103 participants were recruited after obtaining their written informed consent. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, menstrual cup usage patterns, issues faced during usage, and the reasons for not using the menstrual cup.

Results

Among the study participants, about 43% utilized the menstrual cup they received during the campaign. Comfort of using a menstrual cup was low in the first attempt but it increased with subsequent attempts. Married women had a higher chance of using a menstrual cup than unmarried women, which was statistically significant (p=0.007). Also, age was a statistically significant factor influencing menstrual cup utilization (p=0.009).

Conclusion

Even though the study was conducted among healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital who had good awareness, menstrual cups were not used by the participants. Behavior change communication is the ideal strategy to increase the usage of sustainable methods to ensure menstrual hygiene.