Women's Health

It’s Time for a Whole-of-Government Approach to Address Period Poverty in the U.S.

George Mason and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) awarded grant to help foster social empowerment and gender equity among forcibly displaced populations (FDPs).

New George Mason University study is first to examine unmet basic menstrual health needs, (often called ‘period poverty’) and associations with depression among college students. More than 14% of participants reported lack of access to menstrual products in the past year, and 10% reported period poverty every month. Women who experienced period poverty were more likely to report symptoms suggestive of moderate or severe depression.

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted thousands of jobs online, allowing employees to telework and avoid congested roadways. That’s good for slowing the spread of the virus, but new research from George Mason University also shows such habits could limit people’s exposure to harmful traffic pollution.