Study: One in three adolescents experience ‘period poverty’
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Key takeaways:
- Overall, 34.8% of participants said they had experienced period poverty
- Menstrual inequity was prevalent across race and ethnicity, neighborhood opportunity and insurance status.
ORLANDO — More than one in three adolescents experience period poverty — or difficulty accessing menstrual products — according to a study presented at the AAP National Convention & Exhibition.
“Our goal is to increase awareness of this issue,” Monika K. Goyal, MD, MSCE, and Maleah Boyle, PhD, MPH, from the Center for Translational Research at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., told Healio in a joint email response. “Just as toilet paper is freely available in all restrooms, we need to provide access to free menstrual products in all public settings.”
The researchers analyzed responses to an electronic survey called Teen Health Screen that adolescents aged 13 to 21 years completed in the ED. The researchers identified teens as experiencing period poverty if they said they had used cloths, rags, tissues or toilet paper instead of pads or tampons, or if they said they could not afford menstrual products during the previous 12 months.
Out of 678 (mean age, 15.9±2.1 years) participants, most were non-Hispanic Black (70.6%), publicly insured (72.9%) and living in a very low Childhood Opportunity Index (COI) neighborhood (74.8%).
Overall, 34.8% of respondents said they had experienced period poverty. The researchers compared the prevalence of period poverty based on COI, insurance and race and ethnicity, but there were no significant differences.
“This highlights the ubiquitous nature of experiencing menstrual inequity,” Goyal and Boyle said. “Even those who live in highly resourced neighborhoods are experiencing menstrual inequity at the same rates as those living in poorly resourced environments.”
The results inspired Boyle’s team to host a menstrual product drive at their hospital over the summer. They collected more than 12,000 menstrual products, which they plan to give to adolescents who visit their ED who report experiencing period poverty.
“We need to use our voice as pediatricians to advocate for policy changes to make menstrual products more accessible and affordable,” Goyal and Boyle said.
Perspective
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Kelley EC Massengale, PhD, MPH
A new study of adolescents conducted in a pediatric ED reports alarming findings. One-third of adolescents seeking emergency medical care also reported unmet needs for period products in the past year. Many adolescents were forced to use makeshift items such as cloths or rags in place of traditional period products like pads and tampons. The experience was widespread across demographic groups.
People generally expect public restrooms to be stocked with toilet paper, soap, water and paper towels. Period products should also be freely available in this way, especially in health care settings and other public spaces. Places where people go to improve or maintain health should support basic hygiene practices.
Prior research demonstrates that the distribution of free period supplies from period supply banks facilitates attendance at work, school and in community spaces while improving mental health outcomes. The present study is a wake-up call for voters, legislators, health care providers, public health practitioners and anyone invested in the future of our young people that widespread access to period products is urgently needed.
Imagine what these adolescents could accomplish if their basic material needs for period supplies were met. The mental energy expended on acquiring supplies, coping with unmet needs and the resulting stress detract from adolescents’ abilities to work toward their own goals and the futures they envision for themselves.
In their interactions with menstruating patients, health care providers are well positioned to ask about access to period supplies, then make connections to period supply banks and other resources to address unmet needs.
Massengale KEC, et al. Women’s Health. 2024;doi:10.1177/17455057241267104.
Massengale KEC, et al. Women’s Health. 2024;doi:10.1177/17455047241259731.
Alliance for Period Supplies. https://allianceforperiodsupplies.org/get-help/. Accessed Sept. 30, 2024.
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Boyle M, et al. Abstract A015. Presented at: AAP National Conference & Exhibition; Sept. 27-Oct. 1, 2024; Orlando.
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