Abstract
According to the United Nations Population Fund, people who menstruate need reliable access to clean menstrual products, safe and private spaces to change, dispose of them and wash, and clean water for hygiene. They also require accurate education about the menstrual cycle and guidance on managing menstruation related health concerns. In 2022, about 500 million women worldwide lacked access to menstrual products and adequate facilities to allow them to manage their menstruation (World Bank Group, 2022).
In Canada, one in every six Canadians who menstruate cannot afford or access menstrual hygiene products (Women and Gender Equality Canada, 2023). This is known as period poverty. Menstrual equity is impacted when people cannot afford menstrual products, forcing them to choose between basic needs or resort to unsafe alternatives that increase health risks. Long term drinking water advisories—especially in Indigenous and remote communities—make it difficult to maintain safe menstrual hygiene. Lack of clean, private, and gender affirming washroom spaces further harms homeless individuals, those in male dominated workplaces, and transgender and non binary people, deepening inequities in managing menstruation safely and with dignity.
Utilizing an adaptation of McLeroy et al.’s (1988) socioecological model, I propose a nurse-led multilevel advocacy strategy which targets multiple groups to deal with the issue of period poverty in Canada. The first strategy focuses on educating individuals, their social networks, and key organizations to shift attitudes and behaviors around menstrual health. The next strategy focuses on engaging broader community networks to advance menstrual equity. And the last strategy involves policy-level interventions, which are essential to achieve menstrual equity. I also suggest a variety of modalities for evaluating the proposed interventions.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Xi Lambda
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document, Video Recording
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Period Poverty, Menstrual Equity, Nurse-led Advocacy Strategy, Canada
Advisor
Janice Hawkins
Second Advisor
Charlotte McArdle
Recommended Citation
Essien, Delasi, "Period Poverty in Canada: Advocating for Menstrual Equity Using Nurse-led Multilevel Advocacy Strategies" (2026). Global Advocacy. 24.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/ga_series/24
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Rights Holder
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Review Type
Faculty/Mentor Approved: Sigma Academy Participant Poster
Acquisition
Self-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-20
Full Text of Presentation
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