2025 Research in the Capitol
Presentation Type
Open Access Poster Presentation
Abstract
Period poverty is the inability to access menstrual products due to economic vulnerability. In the US, 1 in 5 menstruating students miss school due to period poverty. Educational disparities that derive from period poverty must be investigated. At the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), a student-led initiative aims to reduce academic barriers created by period poverty. Within one semester, nearly 3,000 tampons and 2,500 pads were distributed across 17 academic buildings. This study evaluates the impact of free menstrual products on campus by analyzing usage and student feedback, revealing a positive effect on academic attainability. However, the initiative's sustainability is threatened by its reliance on a volunteer model. To address this, the study examines menstrual product distribution systems at comparable institutions and offers recommendations for improving UNI's program. While the initiative has shown promise in reducing educational disparities, further investment is necessary to ensure its long-term success.
Start Date
31-3-2025 11:30 AM
End Date
31-3-2025 1:30 PM
Event Host
University Honors Programs, Iowa Regent Universities
Faculty Advisor
Disa Cornish
Department
Department of Biology
Department
Department of Nursing and Public Health
Copyright
©2025 Catrina Tounjian & Disa Cornish
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Tounjian, Catrina and Cornish, Disa, "Accessibility to Menstrual Products at the University of Northern Iowa" (2025). Research in the Capitol. 16.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/rcapitol/2025/all/16
Accessibility to Menstrual Products at the University of Northern Iowa
Period poverty is the inability to access menstrual products due to economic vulnerability. In the US, 1 in 5 menstruating students miss school due to period poverty. Educational disparities that derive from period poverty must be investigated. At the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), a student-led initiative aims to reduce academic barriers created by period poverty. Within one semester, nearly 3,000 tampons and 2,500 pads were distributed across 17 academic buildings. This study evaluates the impact of free menstrual products on campus by analyzing usage and student feedback, revealing a positive effect on academic attainability. However, the initiative's sustainability is threatened by its reliance on a volunteer model. To address this, the study examines menstrual product distribution systems at comparable institutions and offers recommendations for improving UNI's program. While the initiative has shown promise in reducing educational disparities, further investment is necessary to ensure its long-term success.
