Implementing a Clinical-Community Program to Address Menstrual Poverty: An Advocacy Case Study.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Public Health
• Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Menstrual poverty, characterized by insufficient access to menstrual hygiene products and education, leads to adverse health and educational outcomes.
• Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of menstrual poverty.
• Few community-clinical collaborations have been documented to address menstrual poverty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel menstrual poverty screening tool within a pediatric clinic setting.
• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a clinical-community partnership program for addressing menstrual poverty among AYAs.
• To gather feedback from patients and clinic staff on the program's implementation and potential improvements.

Main Methods:

• A menstrual poverty screening tool was implemented in April 2022 during well visits for all female AYAs at an academic pediatric clinic.
• A partnership was established with The Period Project (Triad of North Carolina) to provide menstrual hygiene supply packets.
• Participants who screened positive for menstrual poverty were offered supply packets during their visit, and narrative feedback was collected.

Main Results:

• The screening tool and subsequent provision of menstrual hygiene supplies were found to be acceptable among both AYA participants and clinic staff.
• Key themes from feedback included recognizing menstrual poverty as a community issue, the need for normalization in clinical settings, and acknowledgment of medical/mental health impacts.
• Participants and staff provided suggestions for program enhancement.

Conclusions:

• A clinical program addressing menstrual poverty, supported by a community-based advocacy organization, is feasible and acceptable to patients and providers.
• Integrating menstrual poverty screening into routine pediatric care is a viable strategy.
• Further research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of such clinical-community programs in mitigating menstrual poverty.