Original Article by Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology cited below

Summary by Simply the Basics

Menstrual hygiene insecurity is a concern even in high-income countries, and needs to be addressed. A study of low-income adult women in St. Louis found that two-thirds of participants could not afford menstrual products. Stigma around speaking about menstrual health contributes to many issues, such as a lack of education among adolescents about reproductive health, seeking help for pain management, and seeking assistance for obtaining hygiene products. 

This study aimed to assess patient and provider perspectives surrounding menstrual health management and screening through provider surveys, patient surveys, and patient interviews. This study defined menstrual hygiene insecurity as “as being unable to afford menstrual products either ‘most of the time’ or ‘sometimes.’” The study found that 39% of providers were concerned patients could not afford menstrual hygiene products, and 19% of patients reported menstrual hygiene insecurity. 

Continue reading to learn more about the methods used in the study, and the implications for future research regarding menstrual health and hygiene. 

Citation: Amelia A. Trant, Alla Vash-Margita, Deepa Camenga, Paula Braverman, Denise Wagner, Mariana Espinal, Edwina P. Kisanga, Lisbeth Lundsberg, Sangini S. Sheth, Linda Fan, Menstrual Health and Hygiene among Adolescents in the United States, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Volume 35, Issue 3, 2022, Pages 277-287, ISSN 1083-3188, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2021.12.014.