Unmet Menstrual Practice Needs and Determinants of Modern Menstrual Method Use among College Women in Coimbatore, India
1
Department of Community Medicine, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
In India, one in four menstruating women cannot use sanitary methods, and many who can still face barriers to adequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM), with consequences for socialisation, empowerment, and well-being. We investigated prevalence and determinants of unmet menstrual practice needs and patterns of modern menstrual method (MMM) use among college-going women in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
METHODS:
An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 3,144 college women (October 2022–January 2023) using validated Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MPNS-36).
RESULTS:
Mean (SD) age was 19.3 (1.8) years. Overall, 62.8% had unmet menstrual practice needs. MMM uptake was 1.4% (cups 1.3%, tampons 0.1%). Sanitary pads were used by 96.3% (98.6% disposable); more than half used non-biodegradable pads (50.4%), and 16.5% were unaware of pad type. Compared with other MHMs (including pads), MMMs were associated with significantly lower unmet needs in material and home-environment domains, including material reliability, reuse needs, and reuse insecurity, while transport, college-environment, change, and disposal-insecurity needs did not differ significantly. Lower unmet need (better MPNS scores) was observed among students residing on campus and those with educated parents; scores also varied by socioeconomic class and presence of personal income (all p<0.05). Conversations about menstruation with friends before menarche and with friends/family after menarche improved MPNS scores. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of total MPNS scores were maternal education, post-pubertal menstrual talks with family, and the type/disposability of MHM.
CONCLUSIONS:
Unmet menstrual practice needs are common. MMMs confer advantages for material reliability and reuse-related security, especially at home, but gaps in transport and disposal security persist across methods. Multifaceted strategies—education (including family/peer dialogue), on-campus support, and access to affordable, sustainable products—are needed to reduce unmet needs and responsibly expand MMM uptake.
In India, one in four menstruating women cannot use sanitary methods, and many who can still face barriers to adequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM), with consequences for socialisation, empowerment, and well-being. We investigated prevalence and determinants of unmet menstrual practice needs and patterns of modern menstrual method (MMM) use among college-going women in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
METHODS:
An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 3,144 college women (October 2022–January 2023) using validated Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MPNS-36).
RESULTS:
Mean (SD) age was 19.3 (1.8) years. Overall, 62.8% had unmet menstrual practice needs. MMM uptake was 1.4% (cups 1.3%, tampons 0.1%). Sanitary pads were used by 96.3% (98.6% disposable); more than half used non-biodegradable pads (50.4%), and 16.5% were unaware of pad type. Compared with other MHMs (including pads), MMMs were associated with significantly lower unmet needs in material and home-environment domains, including material reliability, reuse needs, and reuse insecurity, while transport, college-environment, change, and disposal-insecurity needs did not differ significantly. Lower unmet need (better MPNS scores) was observed among students residing on campus and those with educated parents; scores also varied by socioeconomic class and presence of personal income (all p<0.05). Conversations about menstruation with friends before menarche and with friends/family after menarche improved MPNS scores. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of total MPNS scores were maternal education, post-pubertal menstrual talks with family, and the type/disposability of MHM.
CONCLUSIONS:
Unmet menstrual practice needs are common. MMMs confer advantages for material reliability and reuse-related security, especially at home, but gaps in transport and disposal security persist across methods. Multifaceted strategies—education (including family/peer dialogue), on-campus support, and access to affordable, sustainable products—are needed to reduce unmet needs and responsibly expand MMM uptake.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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