AWARENESS AND USAGE OF MENSTRUAL TRACKING APPS AMONG FEMALES AGED 18-24 YEARS

Abstract

Background: Menstrual tracking applications have emerged as important digital health tools that assist women in monitoring menstrual cycles, predicting periods, and improving reproductive health awareness. Despite their increasing use, there is limited evidence regarding awareness, attitudes, and usage patterns among young women, particularly in the Indian context.

Aim: To assess the awareness and usage of menstrual tracking applications among females aged 18-24 years.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 300 young women of age 18-24 years attending the outpatient department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Participants who had used a menstrual tracking application at least once in the past year were included. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize variables, and inferential analysis including chi-square test and logistic regression was performed to identify factors Associated with good practice. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Among 300 participants, the majority were aged 21–24 years (53.7%), undergraduates (64.0%), and from urban areas (68.7%). Good knowledge regarding menstrual tracking applications was observed, with 85.0% aware of cycle prediction, 80.0% aware of symptom tracking, and 81.7% recognizing their role in understanding menstrual patterns. However, only 70.0% were aware of limitations in fertility prediction and 68.3% recognized that these applications are not reliable contraceptive methods.

A positive attitude was reported by most participants, with 83.3% agreeing that apps help in understanding menstrual cycles, 81.7% finding them easy to use, and 78.3% willing to recommend them. However, 63.3% expressed concerns regarding data privacy.

Among app users (n=225), good practice was observed in 76.9% of participants aged 21–24 years compared to 63.6% in younger participants (p=0.016). Higher education (75.0% vs 58.3%, p=0.004), urban residence (78.3% vs 60.6%, p=0.037), good knowledge (78.4% vs 45.5%, p<0.001), and positive attitude (78.8% vs 57.1%, p<0.001) were significantly associated with good practice. Multivariate analysis identified knowledge (Adjusted OR=0.29), attitude (Adjusted OR=0.44), and education (Adjusted OR=0.57) as independent predictors.

Privacy concerns (n=83), lack of knowledge (n=72), and technical issues (n=47) were identified as major barriers, while education and awareness (29%), better privacy protection (25%), improved accuracy (24%), and doctor recommendation (22%) were key facilitators.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates that  have good awareness and a positive attitude toward menstrual tracking applications, with moderate to high levels of usage. Knowledge, attitude, and educational status significantly influence effective utilization. Addressing privacy concerns, improving user education, and enhancing application accuracy may further strengthen adoption and promote better reproductive health outcomes.