KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AMONG FEMALE NURSING STUDENTS AT BENSON IDAHOSA UNIVERSITY, BENIN CITY

Abstract

This study investigated the knowledge and practices of menstrual hygiene among female nursing students at Benson Idahosa University, Benin City. The objective was to assess the level of knowledge and practices related to menstrual hygiene among female nursing students at Benson Idahosa University, Benin City. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed for the study. The target population consisted of 598 female nursing students in 200, 300, 400, and 500 levels. A convenience sampling technique was used to select participants. Data were collected using a well-structured, self-administered questionnaire developed in line with the study objectives. The completed questionnaires were coded and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 24.0. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to summarize demographic data, knowledge levels, and hygiene practices. The results revealed that the majority of respondents had good knowledge of menstrual hygiene. Findings also showed that respondents generally demonstrated good menstrual hygiene practices. Additionally, six out of the nine identified factors influenced their menstrual hygiene practices, including financial status, access to clean water, availability of waste bins in school toilets, health education, and privacy in school toilets. It was concluded that menstrual hygiene is increasingly gaining global and local recognition as an issue of public health and human dignity. Therefore, there is a pressing need to gather context-specific data to guide policy development, curriculum improvement, and campus health initiatives. Although progress has been made in advancing menstrual health education in some areas, research remains limited regarding the knowledge and practices of female students in private tertiary institutions in Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that the university should encourage a stigma-free culture by training both staff and students to be more understanding of menstruation-related issues, thereby creating a more inclusive and supportive academic environment. KEYWORDS: Knowledge, Practices, Menstrual hygiene, Female nursing students

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urn:uuid:fe019abe-580a-4639-bee9-02a019c96e81