Bridging The Knowledge-To-Practice Gap: Effect of Educational Intervention On Menstrual Cup Adoption Among Degree Women in Bangalore

Background: Despite known benefits of menstrual cups over disposable products, adoption remains low. The gap between awareness and actual use suggests that knowledge alone is insufficient for behaviour change. The objective is to assess the effect of structured educational intervention on menstrual cup adoption and to identify barriers that persist despite comprehensive education among degree college women in India. Material and Methods: This longitudinal intervention study followed 443-degree college women in Bangalore over three months. Following baseline assessment, participants received a structured educational session covering menstrual cup benefits, usage techniques, and hygiene practices, supported by a WhatsApp group for ongoing guidance. After three months, 375 participants (84.7% retention) were followed up to assess adoption rates, reasons for use or non-use, and user experiences. Data were analysed using SPSS v26.0. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results: Educational intervention significantly increased willingness to use menstrual cups from 37.5% to 59.2% (p<0.001). Among followed participants, 18.1% (68/375) adopted menstrual cups. Sexual experience was the strongest predictor of adoption (64.0% vs 14.9%, p<0.001), while income showed no significant association. Primary motivations for adoption were environmental benefits (73.5%), reduced leakage/odor (58.8%), and cost savings (50%). Fear of pain (66.8%) and virginity concerns (34.2%) remained dominant barriers. Among users, 94.1% considered the cup worth the learning curve, 76.5% intended to continue use, and 68.0% shared knowledge with peers. Conclusion: Structured education substantially increases willingness but translates to modest adoption rates, revealing a persistent knowledge-to-practice gap. Virginity-related misconceptions and pain fears represent significant cultural and psychological barriers requiring targeted interventions. The high satisfaction among actual users (75% Good/excellent) and strong peer advocacy suggests that supporting initial adoption through demonstration, mentorship, and culturally sensitive counseling may be critical for scaling menstrual cup use.

Keywords: Menstrual cup, behavior change, health education, intervention study, women's health.