Period Product Resources and Needs in Schools: A Statewide Survey of Missouri's School Nurses.
adolescence
menstruation
reproductive and sexual health
school health
Journal
The Journal of school health
ISSN: 1746-1561
Titre abrégé: J Sch Health
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0376370
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
07 2023
07 2023
Historique:
revised:
13
02
2023
received:
12
07
2022
accepted:
26
02
2023
medline:
6
6
2023
pubmed:
10
3
2023
entrez:
9
3
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
School nurses play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of their students, but little is known about menstrual products and resources available in schools. This study assessed period product resources and needs in Missouri schools from the perspective of school nurses and analyzed differences by district enrollment characteristics. An electronic survey was emailed to public, charter, private, and parochial school nurses in Missouri who served fourth grade or older. From January through March 2022, 976 self-administered surveys were completed (40% response rate). Logistic regressions examined the associations between student needs and district characteristics. Among the sample, 70.7% knew students who could not afford period products, and 68.0% knew students who had missed school because of their period. When controlling for district size, race/ethnicity, and urban/rural classification, as the percentage free- or reduced-lunch (FRL) eligibility increases in a school, awareness of students struggling to afford products increases (AOR = 1.008, 95% confidence interval 1.000, 1.015). School nurses need the resources and educational materials to support students to help reduce menstruation-related absences. Issues of period poverty cut across districts of differing enrollment characteristics, yet FRL percentage is an important predictor.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
School nurses play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of their students, but little is known about menstrual products and resources available in schools. This study assessed period product resources and needs in Missouri schools from the perspective of school nurses and analyzed differences by district enrollment characteristics.
METHODS
An electronic survey was emailed to public, charter, private, and parochial school nurses in Missouri who served fourth grade or older. From January through March 2022, 976 self-administered surveys were completed (40% response rate). Logistic regressions examined the associations between student needs and district characteristics.
RESULTS
Among the sample, 70.7% knew students who could not afford period products, and 68.0% knew students who had missed school because of their period. When controlling for district size, race/ethnicity, and urban/rural classification, as the percentage free- or reduced-lunch (FRL) eligibility increases in a school, awareness of students struggling to afford products increases (AOR = 1.008, 95% confidence interval 1.000, 1.015).
IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY
School nurses need the resources and educational materials to support students to help reduce menstruation-related absences.
CONCLUSIONS
Issues of period poverty cut across districts of differing enrollment characteristics, yet FRL percentage is an important predictor.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
557-564Informations de copyright
© 2023 American School Health Association.
Références
Sommer M, Caruso BA, Torondel B, et al. Menstrual hygiene management in schools: midway progress update on the “MHM in Ten” 2014-2024 global agenda. Health Res Policy Syst. 2021;19:1.
Belay S, Kuhlmann AK, Wall LL. Girls' attendance at school after a menstrual hygiene intervention in northern Ethiopia. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2020;149(3):287-291.
Hennegan J, OlaOlorun FM, Oumarou S, et al. School and work absenteeism due to menstruation in three west African countries: findings from PMA2020 surveys. Sex Reprod Health Matters. 2021 Jan 1;29(1):1915940.
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. 2020;67(3):444-446.
Sebert Kuhlmann A, Teni MT, Key R, Billingsley C. Period product insecurity, school absenteeism, and use of school resources to obtain period products among high school students in St. Louis, Missouri. J Sch Nurs. 2022:10598405211069601.
Cotropia CA. Menstruation management in United States schools and implications for attendance, academic performance, and health. Women Reprod Health. 2019;6(4):289-305.
Babbar K, Martin J, Ruiz J, Parray AA, Sommer M. Menstrual health is a public health and human rights issue. Lancet Public Health. 2022;7(1):e10-e11.
Sebert Kuhlmann A, Hunter E, Wall LL, Boyko M, Teni MT. State standards for menstrual hygiene education in US schools. J Sch Health. 2022;92(4):418-420.
Alliance for Period Supplies. Period Products in Schools. Available at: https://allianceforperiodsupplies.org/period-products-in-schools/. Accessed June 9, 2022.
Sweeney EN, Fisher CM, Adkins MM. Elementary school nurses' perceptions regarding menstruation education: an exploratory study. J Sch Nurs. 2022:10598405221082682.
Secor-Turner M, Huseth-Zosel A, Ostlund R. Menstruation experiences of middle and high school students in the Midwest: a pilot study. J Sch Nurs. 2022;38(6):504-510.
Schmitt ML, Hagstrom C, Nowara A, et al. The intersection of menstruation, school and family: experiences of girls growing up in urban cities in the USA. Int J Adolesc Youth. 2021;26(1):94-109.
Huseth-Zosel AL, Secor-Turner M. Teacher perceptions of and experiences with student menstruation in the school setting. J Sch Health. 2021;92(2):194-204.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 17 March 2022. Available at: http://www.census.gov/. Accessed June 9, 2022.
Society for Women's Health Research. Survey of School Nurses Reveals Lack of Bathroom Policies and Bladder Health Education; 2018. Available at: https://swhr.org/survey-of-school-nurses-reveals-lack-of-bathroom-policies-and-bladder-health-education/. Accessed September 2, 2021.
Sumpter C, Torondel B. A systematic review of the health and social effects of menstrual hygiene management. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e62004.
Montgomery P, Hennegan J, Dolan C, Wu M, Steinfield L, Scott L. Menstruation and the cycle of poverty: a cluster quasi-randomised control trial of sanitary pad and puberty education provision in Uganda. PLoS One. 2016;11(12):e0166122.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. District Demographic Report. Available at: https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/home.aspx?categoryid=1&view=2. Accessed April 19, 2022.
Missouri Census Data Center. Ten things to know about urban vs. rural Available at: https://mcdc.missouri.edu/help/ten-things/urban-rural.html. Accessed April 28, 2022.
The Office of Rural Health Policy. List of Rural Counties and Designated Eligible Census Tracts in Metropolitan Counties. Available at: https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/ruralhealth/resources/forhpeligibleareas.pdf. Accessed April 28, 2022.
Missouri Highway Patrol. Troop Headquarters. Available at: https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/DevelopersPages/TroopHeadquarters/troopIndex.html. Accessed April 28, 2022.
Willgerodt MA, Brock DM, Maughan EM. Public school nursing practice in the United States. J Sch Nurs. 2018;34(3):232-244.
Sommer M, Phillips-Howard PA, Gruer C, et al. Menstrual product insecurity resulting from COVID-19-related income loss, United States, 2020. Am J Public Health. 2022 Apr;112(4):675-684.
Sebert Kuhlmann A, Peters Bergquist E, Danjoint D, Lewis Wall L. Unmet menstrual hygiene needs among low-income women. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(2):238-244.
MOST Policy Initiative. No-Cost Period Products in Schools: Implementation Available at: https://mostpolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/No-Cost-Period-Products-in-Schools_-Implementation.pdf. Accessed June 15, 2022.
Missouri House of Representatives. HB 3002. Available at: https://www.house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB3002&year=2022&code=R. Accessed June 15, 2022.