Awareness and attitudes toward menstrual cups among college students

Background: Menstrual cups offer a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and healthful alternative to disposable menstruation products. Nevertheless, adoption is still low globally, particularly among young adults, despite their benefits. Practical problems and ignorance are often the root of this. The views, attitudes, and knowledge of Indian female college students on the usage of menstrual cups are assessed in this study. Methods: Eighty female students between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five from Banasthali Vidyapith in Rajasthan took part in a descriptive survey. Data was collected using a systematic knowledge questionnaire and an attitude survey, and the responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics like frequency and percentage distributions. Results: The survey found that respondents' awareness of menstruation cups varied: 40% showed strong knowledge, 51.25% had average knowledge, and 8.75% had low understanding. Practical issues were the biggest obstacles to adoption, with 61.25% reporting insertion difficulties and 30% expressing worries about hygiene. Interestingly, societal stigma was not mentioned as a significant impediment. 56.3% of respondents said they knew someone who has used a cup, and 47.5% said recommendations would impact their choice, suggesting that peer influence could be a catalyst. Economic (31.3%) and environmental (26.3%) factors were the main reasons for contemplating use. The majority (87.5%) had never attended a formal instructional session on the subject, and social media was the most common source of information (47.5%). Menstrual cups should be provided for free or at a reduced cost in colleges, according to a resounding 93.8% of participants. Conclusion: Menstruation cups are known to college students, but there is still a significant knowledge-practice gap that is mostly due to practical challenges rather than cultural taboos. The findings demonstrate the urgent need for coordinated educational interventions, practical training, and peer-led campaigning. In order to increase menstrual equity and encourage the use of menstrual cups in educational settings, it is necessary to use digital platforms to spread accurate information and incorporate financial aid.