Table of Contents
Problem Statement
Period poverty is defined as the inability to access affordable and clean sanitary products, adequate hygiene facilities, and sufficient menstrual hygiene education.1 It also includes the lack of safe and private spaces for cleaning and means for disposal of used menstrual hygiene products.2
Recent estimates show nearly 500 million women and girls globally suffer from period poverty,3 with the majority living in low and middle-income countries2,3 and low-income women living in high-income countries.1,3 In the United States (U.S.), the prevalence of period poverty is unclear, due to a lack of nationwide assessments and limited research.1 The small number of available studies in this area show substantial proportions of period poverty in the U.S. In a qualitative study of low-income women, 64% of participants reported experiencing period poverty in the past 12 months.1 Similarly, a study of high school students reported that 48% suffered from period poverty at least once during the school year.4 Another study of school-aged women found that 14% of college students experienced period poverty in the past year.2
Furthermore, period poverty is not only a financial concern, but can also negatively impact women’s health. Some studies have associated period poverty with a heightened risk of depression and anxiety,2 perceived stigma,5 and urogenital infections.6 One study on college students showed that students who experienced monthly period poverty were significantly more likely to be moderately or severely depressed compared to students not experiencing period poverty.2
Period poverty may also exacerbate societal and economic inequalities.7 Women who are unable to manage their periods effectively may miss work or school,8 which can result in lost income, missed educational opportunities,8,9 and reduced chances for promotions or salary increases.
The results from these studies examining the risks of period poverty and associated outcomes emphasize the need for greater attention to period poverty and additional policy solutions to address critical determinants.
Call to Action
In 2022, the Utah legislature passed House Bill 162.10 The bill required Utah schools to provide free tampons, sanitary napkins, or similar products to students in female or unisex restrooms within elementary, middle, junior, and high school facilities. This legislation is part of a nationwide trend to address period poverty. Since 2017, more than 20 bills have been enacted to address period poverty nationwide.11
Though the passage of HB 162 is notable progress toward menstrual equity, there are additional policies that could make a dent in period poverty. Not all girls and women experiencing period poverty are able to obtain period products from school. When schools and community centers are closed, as they were during the COVID-19 pandemic, access to products becomes a major challenge. We propose several policies that could close these gaps.
Taxing period products, known as the “tampon tax,” refers to period products being taxed as luxury items rather than as necessities. Period products are as much of a necessity as toilet paper, which is provided free of charge in public restrooms. Today, period products are taxed at the standard rate in Utah. In 2019, after many years of advocacy, Utah legislators passed a tax reform bill to end the tampon tax state-wide.12 However, the tax reform bill was deemed controversial and repealed before implementation.12
Making period products eligible for purchase through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP),13 could serve as a viable alternative to the tax reform bill. However, some limitations exist, such as the limited coverage of the program, strict eligibility criteria, and volatility.14 To mitigate these issues, it may be worthwhile to consider implementing measures such as expanding the scope of tax credits or providing voucher programs specific for period products.
Though Utahns experience lower rates of poverty than the nation (8.9% vs. 12.3%), more women live in poverty than men (9.6% vs. 8.2%).15 This disparity is even more pronounced in racial/ethnic minorities. For example, 36.8% of Black/African American women live in poverty compared to 21.3% of men.15 Gaps in higher educational attainment and wage earnings also contribute to this problem.15 Period poverty continues to be a significant issue locally, nationwide, and on a global scale. Many women and girls still suffer from access to affordable menstrual products and proper hygiene management. More research is needed to understand better the prevalence of period poverty across sociodemographic factors and the effect on women’s overall well-being.
References
1. Sebert Kuhlmann A, Peters Bergquist E, Danjoint D, Wall LL. Unmet Menstrual Hygiene Needs Among Low-Income Women. Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Feb;133(2):238–44.
2. Cardoso LF, Scolese AM, Hamidaddin A, Gupta J. Period poverty and mental health implications among college-aged women in the United States. BMC Womens Health. 2021 Jan 6;21(1):14.
3. Sommer M. Where the education system and women’s bodies collide: The social and health impact of girls’ experiences of menstruation and schooling in Tanzania. J Adolesc. 2010 Aug 1;33(4):521–9.
4. Sebert Kuhlmann A, Key R, Billingsley C, Shato T, Scroggins S, Teni MT. Students’ Menstrual Hygiene Needs and School Attendance in an Urban St. Louis, Missouri, District. J Adolesc Health Off Publ Soc Adolesc Med. 2020 Sep;67(3):444–6.
5. Brinkley J, Niebuhr N. Period Poverty and Life Strains: Efforts Made to Erase Stigma and to Expand Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products [Internet]. Rochester, NY: Social Science Research Network; 2022 Feb [cited 2022 May 2]. Report No.: 4042285. Available from: https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=4042285
6. Das P, Baker KK, Dutta A, Swain T, Sahoo S, Das BS, et al. Menstrual Hygiene Practices, WASH Access and the Risk of Urogenital Infection in Women from Odisha, India. PLOS ONE. 2015 Jun 30;10(6):e0130777.
7. Rossouw L, Ross H. Understanding Period Poverty: Socio-Economic Inequalities in Menstrual Hygiene Management in Eight Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan;18(5):2571.
8. Tegegne TK, Sisay MM. Menstrual hygiene management and school absenteeism among female adolescent students in Northeast Ethiopia. BMC Public Health. 2014 Oct 29;14:1118.
9. Tull K. Period Poverty Impact on the Economic Empowerment of Women. 2019 Jan 23 [cited 2023 Mar 7]; Available from: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/14348
10. HB0162 [Internet]. [cited 2022 May 2]. Available from: https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0162.html
11. Jamieson C, Kelley B. States Address Period Poverty With Free Menstrual Products in Schools [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 Nov 1]. Available from: https://ednote.ecs.org/states-address-period-poverty-with-free-menstrual-products-in-schools/
12. Winslow B. Why Utah lawmakers may not repeal the “tampon tax” [Internet]. FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU). 2021 [cited 2022 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/why-utah-lawmakers-may-not-repeal-the-tampon-tax
13. SNAP Eligibility [Internet]. United States Department of Agriculture; 2019. Available from: https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019%20FNS%20313%20SNAP%20English%20for%20508.pdf
14. Ettinger de Cuba S, Chilton M, Bovell-Ammon A, Knowles M, Coleman SM, Black MM, et al. Loss Of SNAP Is Associated With Food Insecurity And Poor Health In Working Families With Young Children. Health Aff (Millwood). 2019 May;38(5):765–73.
15. Wood DM, Darowski E, Madsen S, Knapp G. Poverty Among Utah Women: A 2022 Update [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www.usu.edu/uwlp/blog/2022/poverty-among-utah-women
Citation
Adediran E & Myrer R. (2023). Period Poverty. Utah Women’s Health Review. doi: 10.26054/0d-mq0v-8var.
