Improving Genital Hygiene Practices through Nurse-Led Education among Earthquake-Affected Women in Container Settlements: A Quasi-Experimental Pretest–Posttest Study

This study examined the effect of nurse-led genital hygiene education among women living in earthquake-affected container settlements. Using a single-group pretest–posttest design, 152 women aged 18–49 received a single standardized face-to-face educational session lasting 30–45 minutes, supported by an informational brochure. Genital hygiene behaviors were assessed before and six weeks after the intervention. Total genital hygiene scores increased significantly, with a moderate effect size (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.44). Improvements were observed in general and menstrual hygiene behaviors, while awareness of abnormal genital findings did not change significantly. This may be due to the greater cognitive demands of symptom recognition, which likely require repeated and reinforced education, particularly in high-stress post-disaster settings. Nurse-led education effectively promotes practical hygiene behaviors in post-disaster contexts.