Connecticut Menstrual Health Equity Summit Spotlights Access and Education

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) recently supported The Diaper Bank of Connecticut’s (DBCT) Third Annual Connecticut Menstrual Equity Summit, an event that convenes passionate thought leaders and lawmakers for critical conversations about access to period products and menstrual health education.  Related to the event’s goals, CHA contributed the following article to DBCT’s September newsletter.

Beyond Products: The Vital Role of Health Education and Community in Achieving Menstrual Health Equity

One in eight women and girls in the state of Connecticut lives below the federal poverty level.  Many are forced to choose between buying menstrual supplies and meeting other basic needs.  Period poverty, defined as the inability to afford or access menstrual products, often leads to missed school and work, social isolation, and shame.

At the 2025 Connecticut Menstrual Health Equity Summit, panelists highlighted statewide efforts to address period poverty through legislation and provided a comprehensive examination of ongoing equity barriers.  The keynote address underscored that strong patient-provider relationships can open the door to conversations about menstruation education and adequate access to period products — topics often neglected or stigmatized.

Within healthcare, period poverty represents a significant public health issue.  Those most affected are often young and financially vulnerable, facing increased risk of physical and behavioral health issues, including urinary tract infections, toxic shock syndrome, anxiety, and depression.

Lack of access to menstrual health products and education can result in serious consequences for health, dignity, and well-being.  Achieving health equity — including menstrual health equity — requires coordinated policy, education, and community-based efforts.  Healthcare providers play a vital role by creating safe environments for patients to ask questions about all aspects of their health. 

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA), through collaboration with hospitals and community partners, is advancing this work.  CHA, with funding from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), provides training to promote trauma-informed care, reduce stigma and bias, and foster trust between patients and providers.

Community-based health education — for patients, providers, and organizations — can further dismantle menstruation stigma by:

• Ensuring menstruating youth receive accurate information about their bodies
• Encouraging honest, unabashed discussions about menstruation without fear of repercussions
• Enhancing access to safe spaces, like physician offices and community health centers, where patients can seek timely expertise on menstrual health issues
• Elevating patient voices by providing language to articulate their needs and concerns

Hospitals and health systems support continuous statewide efforts to distribute menstrual products and implement strategies that help patients advocate for their health and build confidence when speaking with healthcare providers, including by sharing resources like the Office on Women’s Health’s (OWH) fact sheet “Top Questions About Your Menstrual Cycle.”

Education is fundamental to empowerment — and a lifetime of improved health outcomes.