Nebraska ACP’s Partnership with ACCESS PERIOD
By Henna Ali
Creighton University School of Medicine
When we discuss social determinants of health, we often focus on housing instability, food insecurity, and transportation barriers. Yet one critical and frequently overlooked determinant is menstrual hygiene access. Period poverty—the inability to afford or access menstrual products—affects individuals across the United States, including right here in Nebraska.
In response to this need, Nebraska ACP recently organized a volunteer packing event in partnership with ACCESS PERIOD at 6108 Maple Street, Suite 100, in Omaha. During this event, volunteers assembled over 200 menstrual supply packages for distribution to local shelters, schools, and community organizations. Each package included tampons, liners, and personal hygiene supplies such as cleansing wipes—basic items that many take for granted, yet remain financially out of reach for countless individuals experiencing poverty.
Understanding Period Poverty as a Public Health Issue
Period poverty is not merely an inconvenience; it is a public health issue. Menstrual products are not covered by federal nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), and while Medicaid provides essential medical coverage, it does not cover over-the-counter hygiene products1. As a result, low-income individuals must allocate already limited resources toward purchasing necessary menstrual supplies.
National surveys suggest that nearly one in four menstruating individuals in the United States have struggled to afford period products within the past year2 Adolescents are particularly vulnerable. Studies have demonstrated that lack of access to menstrual supplies is associated with missed school days, decreased participation in activities, and increased psychosocial stress3. Among adults, inadequate access can affect workplace attendance, dignity, and overall well-being.
As one organizer at the event stated, “Menstrual hygiene is a severely overlooked poverty. Women in poverty often resort to using plastic bags, diapers, or ripped-out pieces of clothing to find relief.” These coping mechanisms are not only undignified but can increase the risk of irritation, infection, and emotional distress.
Health Equity and Preventive Care
For physicians and medical trainees, period poverty intersects directly with preventive health. When patients miss school or work due to lack of supplies, the downstream effects include educational disruption, financial strain, and worsening health inequities. For individuals experiencing homelessness, access to menstrual hygiene products may be even more limited than access to food or clothing.
As future physicians, we are trained to treat anemia, pelvic infections, and dermatologic complications. Yet addressing upstream contributors—such as lack of menstrual supplies—represents a form of preventive medicine. Period poverty exemplifies how seemingly small material needs can awareness into action. Volunteers worked assembly-line style, packaging tampons, liners, and wipes into organized kits for distribution. I had the opportunity to help pack supplies alongside fellow students and physicians, reinforcing the idea that advocacy and service are integral to medical professionalism. By the end of the event, over 200 packages were prepared for delivery to community partners serving individuals in crisis.
Policy and Community Solutions
Addressing period poverty requires both community engagement and policy reform. Several states have eliminated sales tax on menstrual products or mandated their availability in schools and correctional facilities.4 Expanding similar policies and ensuring consistent funding streams for hygiene product distribution programs could significantly reduce access gaps.
At the community level, partnerships between medical organizations and nonprofits such as ACCESS PERIOD demonstrate the power of collaborative action. While a single packing event cannot eliminate period poverty, it represents a tangible step toward dignity-centered care. It also highlights the broader responsibility of the medical community to advocate for health equity beyond the clinic walls.
As Nebraska physicians, trainees, and policymakers continue conversations about social determinants of health, menstrual hygiene must be included in that dialogue. Access to basic hygiene products is not a luxury—it is foundational to dignity, participation, and health.
Period poverty may be overlooked, but it is not insignificant. By recognizing menstrual access as a public health issue, Nebraska’s medical community can help ensure that health equity includes even the most basic human needs.
1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP Eligibility Guidelines (2023).
2. State of the Period 2021 Report, Thinx & PERIOD.
3. Cardoso LF et al. Period poverty and mental health implications among adolescents in the United States. BMC Women’s Health. 2021.
4. Alliance for Period Supplies. State Policy Overview on Menstrual Equity (2023).
