Development and psychometric validation of a multidimensional menstrual hygiene scale

This study was conducted methodologically to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool for assessing women’s menstrual hygiene behaviours. The study was conducted between June and December 2025. The scale development process was carried out in three stages: creating an item pool through a literature review, assessing content validity, and conducting analyses of construct validity and reliability. The item pool was submitted for expert review to assess content validity. The study sample comprised 522 women aged 18 years and older who had experienced menarche, residing in Erzurum city center and recruited from the community using convenience sampling through face-to-face interviews conducted in public areas, parks, streets, and hospital settings: 297 for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and 225 for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Data were collected via face-to-face interviews. The scale’s construct validity was examined using EFA and CFA, whilst reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha. According to the EFA results, the data set was suitable for factor analysis (KMO = 0.863; Bartlett’s Test, χ² = 2262.657, p < 0.001). The analysis revealed that the scale exhibited a multi-factor structure and explained 63.53% of the total variance. The highest factor loadings were observed for items related to awareness of menstrual hygiene, the ability to maintain proper hygiene, handwashing practices after changing menstrual products, and storing menstrual materials under hygienic conditions. The Menstrual Hygiene Scale is a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = Never, 5 = Always). Scale scores are calculated based on the mean item score, with higher scores indicating better menstrual hygiene. CFA results indicated that the model demonstrated an overall acceptable fit when all fit indices were considered together (χ²/df < 5; CFI > 0.90; GFI > 0.90). The scale’s internal consistency coefficient was found to be quite high (Cronbach’s α = 0.855). It was determined that item-total correlations were adequate and that all items contributed meaningfully to the scale. The developed Menstrual Hygiene Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the cognitive, behavioral, and environmental dimensions of menstrual hygiene management in community and clinical settings. This scale may be useful for assessing menstrual hygiene management and evaluating educational and community-based interventions.