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Year 2022, , 221 - 226, 29.08.2022
https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.971839

Abstract

References

  • Montano E., “The Bring Your Own Tampon Policy: Why Menstrual Hygiene Products Should Be Provided for Free in Restrooms,” University of Miami Law Review, 73(1), 370-410, 2018.
  • Hartman V., “End the Bloody Taxation: Seeing Red on the Unconstitutional Tax on Tampons,” Northwestern University Law Review, 112(2), 313, 353, 2017.
  • Bridget J. Crawford B., Waldman E.G, “The Unconstitutional Tampon Tax,” in Elısabeth haub school of law faculty publıcatıons, pp. 439-489, 2019.
  • Tucker J., and Lowell C, “Natıonal snapshot: poverty among women & famılıes, 2015,” in National Women’s Law Center, Sep. 2016. https://nwlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Poverty-Snapshot-Factsheet-2016.pdf
  • Bennett J., “The Tampon Tax: Sales Tax, Menstrual Hygiene Products, and Necessity Exemptions,” The Business, Entrepreneurship & Tax Law Review, 1(1), 183-215, 2017.
  • Carroll L, “Even in the U.S., poor women often can’t afford tampons, pads,” Reuters, Jan. 10, 2019. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-menstruation-usa/even-in-the-u-s-poor-women-often-cant-afford-tampons-pads-idUSKCN1P42TX
  • McMahon S.A., et al., “‘The girl with her period is the one to hang her head’ Reflections on menstrual management among schoolgirls in rural Kenya,” BMC International Health and Human Rights, 11(7), 1-10, 2011.
  • Mason L., et al., “’ We keep it secret so no one should know qualitative study to explore young schoolgirls attitudes and experiences with menstruation in rural western Kenya,” PLoS One, 8(11), e79132, 2013, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079132.
  • Hennegan J, et al., “Women’s and girls’ experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis,” PLoS Medicine, 16(5), e1002803, 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002803.
  • Sommer M. et al., “A Time for Global Action: Addressing Girls’ Menstrual Hygiene Management Needs in Schools,” PLoS Medicine, 13(2), 1-9, 2016, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001962.
  • Scandurra L., et al., “Cambodian boys’ transitions into young adulthood: exploring the influence of societal and masculinity norms on young men’s health,” Culture, Health & Sexuality, 19(7), 767–780, 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2016.1259504.
  • Schmitt M.L., et al., “Making the Case for a Female-Friendly Toilet,” Water, 10, 1-9, 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w10091193.
  • O’Connor R., “Menstruation study finds over 5,000 slang terms for ‘period,’” Independent, Mar. 01, 2016. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/menstruation-study-finds-over-5-000-slang-terms-period-a6905021.html
  • Ruiz-Grossman S., “Unanimous Vote Brings Free Tampons To NYC’s Schools, Prisons, Shelters,” HuffPost, Jun. 21, 2016. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/free-tampons-law-new-york-schools-prisons-shelters_n_57697b43e4b0a75709b7ea1a
  • Ruiz-Grossman S., “NYC Mayor Signs Free Tampons For Schools, Jails, Shelters Into Law,” HuffPost, Jul. 14, 2016. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-york-city-mayor-bill-de-blasio-signs-tampons-free-law_n_5787bc57e4b08608d3336b27
  • Das P., et al., “Menstrual Hygiene Practices, WASH Access and the Risk of Urogenital Infection in Women from Odisha, India,” PLoS One, 10(6), e0130777, 2015. doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130777.
  • Phillips-Howard P.A., et al., “Menstrual cups and sanitary pads to reduce school attrition, and sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections: a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study in rural Western Kenya,” BMJ Open, 6(11), e013229, 2016. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013229.
  • Stolz A. Et al., “An improperly positioned menstrual cup complicated by hydronephrosis: A case report,” Case Reports in Women’s Health, 22, e00108, 2019.
  • Kulczyk Foundation, “A Bloody Problem: Period Poverty, Why We Need to End it and How to Do It,” 2020. https://kulczykfoundation.org.pl/uploads/media/default/0001/05/465728000cda27b8f50a3acc18d77c7b4df8b482.pdf
  • “The period tax around the world,” My period is awesome, 2020. Wise Economy Global Association, https://www.myperiodisawesome.com/blog/period-tax-around-the-world
  • Keck M.,, “This Australian State Will Experiment With Free Pads and Tampons in All Public Schools,” Global Citizen, Mar. 04, 2021. globalcitizen.org/en/content/new-south-wales-free-period-products-schools/?template=next
  • Taylor L., “Scotland Becomes First Country in the World to Make Period Products Free,” Global Citizen, Nov. 25, 2020. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/scotland-first-country-free-period-products/?template=next
  • Ainge R. E., “New Zealand tackles ‘period poverty with free sanitary products for all schoolgirls,” The Guardian, Jun. 03, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/03/new-zealand-tackles-period-poverty-with-free-sanitary-products-for-all-schoolgirls
  • World Bank Group, “Changing the Lives of Women and Girls through Affordable Feminine Hygiene Products,” Jun. 2017. https://www.innovationpolicyplatform.org/www.innovationpolicyplatform.org/system/files/6_Health%20Female%20Hygiene%20Case_Jun21/index.pdf
  • Moradi F., et al., “The effectiveness of counseling based on acceptance and commitment therapy on body image and self-esteem in polycystic ovary syndrome: An RCT,” International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine, 18(4), 243–252, 2020, doi: 10.18502/ijrm.v13i4.6887.

AN OVERVIEW OF PERIOD POVERTY AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFIT IMPACT OF PROVIDING FREE FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS

Year 2022, , 221 - 226, 29.08.2022
https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.971839

Abstract

Feminine hygiene products such as tampons, pads, and sanitary tissues are crucial to a menstruating person’s health. Feminine hygiene products are a multi-billion-dollar industry, and over the course of a menstruator’s life, they spend between roughly $3000-$5000 on over 16,000 feminine hygiene products. Many financial barriers exist that prevent menstruators, most of whom self-identify as women, from accessing safe and healthy menstrual hygiene products. A disproportionately high number of women, especially women of color, live in poverty. As a result, purchasing feminine hygiene products often poses a substantial financial burden, sometimes preventing women from being able to buy feminine hygiene products at all or forcing them to choose between purchasing food or feminine hygiene products. This phenomenon is referred to as “period poverty.” Due to a lack of access to appropriate menstrual products, many women report substituting debris items, which lead to severe health complications such as toxic shock syndrome and cervical cancer. In addition to potential health risks, there are often negative social consequences associated with menstruation as many women report having to leave their workplace or school due to experiencing an emergency menstruation event and not finding feminine hygiene products publicly available. A plethora of slang words and negative cultural connotations are frequently associated with menstruation, and many women report feelings of stress and anxiety due to the many facets of menstruation symptom management and resource allocation. New York City made feminine hygiene products free in public schools, prisons, and homeless shelters, providing 323,000 menstruators with free products at a cost of roughly $5.88 per person per year, which is cost-effective. Nations such as Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland have also led initiatives highlighting the cost-effective public health benefit of improving access to menstrual hygiene products.

References

  • Montano E., “The Bring Your Own Tampon Policy: Why Menstrual Hygiene Products Should Be Provided for Free in Restrooms,” University of Miami Law Review, 73(1), 370-410, 2018.
  • Hartman V., “End the Bloody Taxation: Seeing Red on the Unconstitutional Tax on Tampons,” Northwestern University Law Review, 112(2), 313, 353, 2017.
  • Bridget J. Crawford B., Waldman E.G, “The Unconstitutional Tampon Tax,” in Elısabeth haub school of law faculty publıcatıons, pp. 439-489, 2019.
  • Tucker J., and Lowell C, “Natıonal snapshot: poverty among women & famılıes, 2015,” in National Women’s Law Center, Sep. 2016. https://nwlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Poverty-Snapshot-Factsheet-2016.pdf
  • Bennett J., “The Tampon Tax: Sales Tax, Menstrual Hygiene Products, and Necessity Exemptions,” The Business, Entrepreneurship & Tax Law Review, 1(1), 183-215, 2017.
  • Carroll L, “Even in the U.S., poor women often can’t afford tampons, pads,” Reuters, Jan. 10, 2019. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-menstruation-usa/even-in-the-u-s-poor-women-often-cant-afford-tampons-pads-idUSKCN1P42TX
  • McMahon S.A., et al., “‘The girl with her period is the one to hang her head’ Reflections on menstrual management among schoolgirls in rural Kenya,” BMC International Health and Human Rights, 11(7), 1-10, 2011.
  • Mason L., et al., “’ We keep it secret so no one should know qualitative study to explore young schoolgirls attitudes and experiences with menstruation in rural western Kenya,” PLoS One, 8(11), e79132, 2013, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079132.
  • Hennegan J, et al., “Women’s and girls’ experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis,” PLoS Medicine, 16(5), e1002803, 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002803.
  • Sommer M. et al., “A Time for Global Action: Addressing Girls’ Menstrual Hygiene Management Needs in Schools,” PLoS Medicine, 13(2), 1-9, 2016, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001962.
  • Scandurra L., et al., “Cambodian boys’ transitions into young adulthood: exploring the influence of societal and masculinity norms on young men’s health,” Culture, Health & Sexuality, 19(7), 767–780, 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2016.1259504.
  • Schmitt M.L., et al., “Making the Case for a Female-Friendly Toilet,” Water, 10, 1-9, 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w10091193.
  • O’Connor R., “Menstruation study finds over 5,000 slang terms for ‘period,’” Independent, Mar. 01, 2016. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/menstruation-study-finds-over-5-000-slang-terms-period-a6905021.html
  • Ruiz-Grossman S., “Unanimous Vote Brings Free Tampons To NYC’s Schools, Prisons, Shelters,” HuffPost, Jun. 21, 2016. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/free-tampons-law-new-york-schools-prisons-shelters_n_57697b43e4b0a75709b7ea1a
  • Ruiz-Grossman S., “NYC Mayor Signs Free Tampons For Schools, Jails, Shelters Into Law,” HuffPost, Jul. 14, 2016. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-york-city-mayor-bill-de-blasio-signs-tampons-free-law_n_5787bc57e4b08608d3336b27
  • Das P., et al., “Menstrual Hygiene Practices, WASH Access and the Risk of Urogenital Infection in Women from Odisha, India,” PLoS One, 10(6), e0130777, 2015. doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130777.
  • Phillips-Howard P.A., et al., “Menstrual cups and sanitary pads to reduce school attrition, and sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections: a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study in rural Western Kenya,” BMJ Open, 6(11), e013229, 2016. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013229.
  • Stolz A. Et al., “An improperly positioned menstrual cup complicated by hydronephrosis: A case report,” Case Reports in Women’s Health, 22, e00108, 2019.
  • Kulczyk Foundation, “A Bloody Problem: Period Poverty, Why We Need to End it and How to Do It,” 2020. https://kulczykfoundation.org.pl/uploads/media/default/0001/05/465728000cda27b8f50a3acc18d77c7b4df8b482.pdf
  • “The period tax around the world,” My period is awesome, 2020. Wise Economy Global Association, https://www.myperiodisawesome.com/blog/period-tax-around-the-world
  • Keck M.,, “This Australian State Will Experiment With Free Pads and Tampons in All Public Schools,” Global Citizen, Mar. 04, 2021. globalcitizen.org/en/content/new-south-wales-free-period-products-schools/?template=next
  • Taylor L., “Scotland Becomes First Country in the World to Make Period Products Free,” Global Citizen, Nov. 25, 2020. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/scotland-first-country-free-period-products/?template=next
  • Ainge R. E., “New Zealand tackles ‘period poverty with free sanitary products for all schoolgirls,” The Guardian, Jun. 03, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/03/new-zealand-tackles-period-poverty-with-free-sanitary-products-for-all-schoolgirls
  • World Bank Group, “Changing the Lives of Women and Girls through Affordable Feminine Hygiene Products,” Jun. 2017. https://www.innovationpolicyplatform.org/www.innovationpolicyplatform.org/system/files/6_Health%20Female%20Hygiene%20Case_Jun21/index.pdf
  • Moradi F., et al., “The effectiveness of counseling based on acceptance and commitment therapy on body image and self-esteem in polycystic ovary syndrome: An RCT,” International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine, 18(4), 243–252, 2020, doi: 10.18502/ijrm.v13i4.6887.
There are 25 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Public Health, Environmental Health
Journal Section Review
Authors

Udit Dave 0000-0002-9950-6938

Ashwin Palaniappan 0000-0002-2966-9395

Emma Lewis This is me 0000-0003-0313-9588

Brandon Gosine 0000-0003-1574-5198

Publication Date August 29, 2022
Submission Date July 15, 2021
Acceptance Date July 23, 2022
Published in Issue Year 2022

Cite

IEEE U. Dave, A. Palaniappan, E. Lewis, and B. Gosine, “AN OVERVIEW OF PERIOD POVERTY AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFIT IMPACT OF PROVIDING FREE FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS”, IJHSRP, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 221–226, 2022, doi: 10.33457/ijhsrp.971839.

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