Period Poverty: A Neglected Public Health Issue

Abstract

Period poverty is a global community health dilemma that has long been overlooked. This condition is described as having insufficient access to menstrual products, education, and sanitation facilities. Briefly, period poverty means that millions of women are subjected to injustice and inequity due to menstruation. This review aimed to explore the definition, challenges, and effects of period poverty on the community, especially among women at their productive ages. In addition, suggestions to minimize the impact of period poverty are discussed. A search strategy was applied using the keywords “period poverty,” “period equity,” “period poverty,” and “menstrual hygiene” in Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, MEDLINE, and PubMed electronic databases, journals, and articles on relevant topics. Trained researchers conducted a keyword search from January 2021 to June 2022. Based on the reviewed studies, it has been proven that many countries are still affected by the period stigma and taboo, inadequate exposure to menstrual health and its management, lack of education about menstruation, and shortage of access to menstrual products and facilities. The next step is to reduce and slowly eliminate the period poverty issue by conducting more research to increase clinical evidence and future references. This narrative review could inform policymakers of the magnitude of the burden related to this issue and guide them to develop effective strategies to minimize the impact of poverty, especially during the challenging years of the post-coronavirus disease 2019 era.