A recent study found that nearly two-thirds of low-income women in the St. Louis region can’t always afford pads or tampons – often resorting to rags, diapers or paper towels. This issue is often referred to as “period poverty,” and has serious economic and health implications for women and girls.
On March 8, 2019, the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis is hosting a Seeking Solutions Symposium on the topic of Period Poverty in the St. Louis Region. We look forward to learning from our panelists and attendees as we work together to seek tangible solutions and opportunities for action.
Recent Local Research
Dr. Anne Sebert Kuhlmann’s research on period poverty in St. Louis:
· Journal Article: Unmet Menstrual Hygiene Needs Among Low-Income Women
· Needs Assessment: Menstrual Hygiene among Low-Resource Women in St. Louis
Dr. Sebert Kuhlmann is an Associate Professor at Saint Louis University whose research focuses on women’s health both domestically and internationally. She recently published a study documenting the unmet menstrual hygiene needs of low-income women in the St. Louis area and is continuing to work on follow-up studies that will provide more insight into these menstrual hygiene needs. She serves on the board of Dignity Period, a local non-profit organization that provides menstrual hygiene education and kits to schoolgirls in Ethiopia and is the reusable pad partner of the new St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies.
Missouri Appleseed’s research on access to period products in Missouri prisons:
· Summary: Access to Feminine Hygiene Products in Missouri Prisons
Missouri Appleseed develops solutions to problems in our communities with a goal of providing all Missourians an opportunity to live healthy, dignified, and productive lives. They one of eighteen other independent centers that make up the Appleseed network. For over two decades local Appleseed Centers have been a leader in championing the rights of society’s most vulnerable populations. Appleseed Centers across North America are dedicated to advancing justice and creating opportunities to help all people build better lives.
Check back here for additional resources in the coming weeks.