Understanding menstrual hygiene knowledge, practices and preferences among female university students in Bangladesh

Abstract

Optimal personal hygiene is a vital aspect of women's health and dignity, especially at the time of young adulthood when lifestyle and awareness both experience considerable shift. The present research sought to measure the extent of awareness, usage habits and effectiveness perceptions of personal hygiene items among female students pursuing higher education in Bangladesh. The research followed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design with 258 respondents across four academic fields: Health Sciences, Arts, Business and Health Science than other Sciences. Data were collected with a structured Google Form survey questionnaire and edited entirely with Microsoft Excel for coding, cleaning and descriptive statistical analysis, including frequencies and percentage distributions. Based on the results, there was moderate personal hygiene knowledge among most of the participants but more misconceptions and irregular behavior in non-health fields. The most widely used product was sanitary pads, with the reusable cloths and menstrual cups as substitutes. Socioeconomic status also played a very strong role in choice and usage frequency. Overall, satisfaction was high, but concern pertaining to affordability and easy availability continued. Findings stress the imperative for evidence-based school education interventions and affordability of products in schools in order to improve menstrual health literacy and promote sustainable hygienic practices among young women in Bangladesh.