Head Alexandra, Lim Megan S C, Orozco Ana, Dunstan Laura, Kirwan Amy, Hennegan Julie
Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Population Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Aust N Z J Public Health. 2025 Feb;49(1):100219. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100219. Epub 2025 Jan 21.
Governments have announced free menstrual product provision policies. Our research aimed to inform these initiatives by understanding menstrual product insecurity amongst marginalised groups and their recommendations for product provision.
We undertook in-depth interviews with participants experiencing menstrual product insecurity, who identified as belonging to one or more marginalised groups, alongside key informants working for organisations serving these populations. Groups included those on low income, people experiencing housing insecurity, people living with disabilities, multicultural groups, gender-diverse people, and young people. Qualitative content analysis was undertaken using a framework approach.
Thirty participants and five key informants participated. Participant recommendations for service delivery emphasised convenience, product choice and prioritisation of those with the greatest need whilst preventing misuse. Participants also considered the balance between the privacy and visibility of delivery mechanisms and the opportunity to address other menstrual needs including education and stigma through product provision policies.
No single delivery approach best suits the needs of all people. Delivery mechanisms must consider how to provide participants' recommended features.
To best reduce menstrual product insecurity, governments should consider delivering products through multiple mechanisms. Co-development of policy implementation methods with intended beneficiaries, and thorough evaluation, will support uptake.
政府已宣布提供免费经期用品的政策。我们的研究旨在通过了解边缘化群体的经期用品不安全状况及其对产品供应的建议，为这些举措提供参考。
我们对经历经期用品不安全的参与者进行了深入访谈，这些参与者自认为属于一个或多个边缘化群体，同时还采访了为服务这些人群的组织工作的关键信息提供者。这些群体包括低收入者、住房不安全者、残疾人、多元文化群体、性别多样化人群和年轻人。采用框架法进行定性内容分析。
30名参与者和5名关键信息提供者参与了研究。参与者对服务提供的建议强调便利性、产品选择以及优先满足最有需求者，同时防止滥用。参与者还考虑了供应机制的隐私性和可见性之间的平衡，以及通过产品供应政策满足其他经期需求（包括教育和消除污名化）的机会。
没有一种单一的供应方式最适合所有人的需求。供应机制必须考虑如何提供参与者建议的功能。
为了最大程度地减少经期用品不安全状况，政府应考虑通过多种机制提供产品。与预期受益者共同制定政策实施方法，并进行全面评估，将有助于政策的实施。
