KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES TOWARDS MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

The study focused on the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards menstrual hygiene among female students in University of Benin. Four(4) research questions guided this study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted to carry out this study. The population of the study comprises of female undergraduate students in the eight (8) departments of the Faculty of Education in the University of Benin with the total 4,398. A sample size of 100 female students were selected using the simple random sampling technique. The research instrument used was a structured questionnaire used to obtain data from the sample population. The instrument was validated by the supervisor and two other lecturers in the Department of Health, Safety and Environmental Education. The split-half method was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument. A total of one hundred (100) questionnaires were administered to the sample population and data collected was analyzed using simple percentages and frequency counts. Findings from the study revealed that female students in the University of Benin have high level of knowledge and positive attitudes towards menstrual hygiene and actively practice proper hygiene habits. Most students track their menstrual cycles regularly and use sanitary pads and tampons as their preferred menstrual products. While menstrual
hygiene is recognized as an essential aspect of women's health, opinions vary on how openly it should be discussed. The study highlights the need for increased access to affordable menstrual products, improved menstrual hygiene education for both genders, and better disposal facilities. Based on these findings, recommendations include providing free or subsidized menstrual products by the University and relevant stakeholders particularly for students from low-income backgrounds, integrating
menstrual hygiene education into health programs for both male and female students, installing more sanitary disposal bins, promoting open discussions through awareness campaigns, and implementing proper disposal measures such as awareness programs or fines in order to maintain hygiene on campus