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@article{191554,
        author = {SARATH LAL M P and ATHIRA V M and ATHIRA D V and ATHIRAKRISHNAN R B},
        title = {A Statistical Comparison of Menstrual Cup and Sanitary Pad Usage among Women of Reproductive Age},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {8},
        pages = {7243-7248},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=191554},
        abstract = {Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is an important public health issue with implications for women’s health and environmental sustainability. This study presents a cross-sectional statistical comparison of menstrual cup and sanitary pad usage among women of reproductive age in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. Primary data were collected from 327 respondents using a structured questionnaire addressing demographic characteristics, product preference, comfortability, health concerns, disposal practices, and environmental awareness. Due to non-normal data distribution, non-parametric methods including Spearman’s rank correlation, Chi-square test, Kruskal–Wallis H test, and Mann–Whitney U test were employed.
Results showed that 19.6% of respondents used menstrual cups, while 80.4% relied on sanitary pads. Significant associations were observed between menstrual product preference and educational qualification, disposal methods and environmental concern, and comfortability across age groups. A moderate positive correlation was identified between satisfaction level and duration of menstrual cup usage. The findings suggest that menstrual cups offer a sustainable and satisfactory alternative to disposable sanitary pads and highlight the need for increased awareness and policy interventions to promote sustainable menstrual hygiene practices},
        keywords = {Menstrual Hygiene Management, Menstrual Cup, Sanitary Pad, Sustainable Menstruation, Environmental Impact, Non-Parametric Statistics.},
        month = {January},
        }