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Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Menstrual Hygiene Management among Female Students in Pahang Public Universities
Abstract
Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is fundamental in women's reproductive life and must be well-maintained to prevent unwanted diseases or infections. Proper hygienic practices such as using sanitary pads and frequently changing pads during heavy flow are essential during menstruation. Objective: To assess the level of knowledge, attitude, practices, and period poverty of MHM among female students in Pahang public universities and the association with selected socio-demographic characteristics. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 286 female students across three Pahang public universities: the International Islamic University Malaysia (Kuantan), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (Kuantan) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (Jengka). The questionnaires distributed consisted mainly of five parts: i) socio-demographic data, ii) level of knowledge, iii) attitude, iv) practice, and v) period poverty. Results: Most of the students have good knowledge (97.3%, 278), attitude (69.5%, 198) and practice (82.5%, 236) of MHM. Only 14.6% of students scored high on period poverty, indicating a low level of period poverty among these female students. In addition, it was indicated that the majority (85.4%, 244) of the female students did not struggle to afford menstrual products. Finally, there was a significant association between field of study (<0.001), race (0.020), and type of university (0.405), with knowledge and practice of MHM respectively. Conclusion: The knowledge, attitude, and practice of MHM among female students are adequate, although their attitude and practice on menstrual hygiene management need improvement in all aspects of menstrual hygiene for their future reproductive health. A minority of female students in the Pahang public universities struggled with period poverty and may need attention from the respective universities to overcome it
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