Abstract
Existing evidence shows homeless and low-income women have difficulty accessing menstrual hygiene products and services. This study explores the menstrual hygiene management (MHM) experiences of 15 homeless women with mental illnesses served by a behavioral health agency in St. Louis, Missouri. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted in a private setting at participants’ convenience. Participants were asked about experiences with periods during homelessness, to include symptoms experienced, hygiene methods used, whether support was available, and their assessment of mental-health impacts. Our results support existing findings, highlighting a need for greater access to MHM products and safe access to bathing and laundry services.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the women who agreed to participate in the study without any compensation and provided us with their experiences and suggestions for hope of a better future for all menstruating individuals. We would also like to thank Kayla Buttafuoco for helping with interviews transcriptions.