The 28 Day Survey is a new campaign to start conversations around women’s health issues – starting with the question, “what makes a happy period?”
Following suggestions at the Hull Health and Wellbeing Board that up to 3000 (or possibly more) women in Hull will struggle to afford sanitary products, NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Hull City Council have agreed to research the issue locally and launch The 28 Day Survey.
Emma Latimer, NHS Hull CCG Chief Officer said: “in this day and age, no girl should miss one day of school because of their period, nor should women miss work due to their periods; period poverty should be a thing of the past.”
"This is an issue that will not go away, it's not a one-year thing, we need to understand more about people’s attitude towards periods and the issues women and girls face who are struggling due to poverty.”
Speaking during the January Health and Wellbeing Board, Board Chairperson, Councillor Hester Bridges, spoke of why a survey is needed and how it could help health and social care services to better support people to live in Period Dignity.
Councillor Bridges said: “I think an intention of our awareness work will hopefully be to destigmatise the issue enough that frontline workers can address Period Poverty with those they are supporting.”
“Surveys often ask 'have you got enough money for food or fuel’ but nobody ever says 'have you got enough money for sanitary products?’”
Emma added: “this isn’t just about asking people if they can afford sanitary items. We also want to know if women are embarrassed or ashamed by their periods – and why. We want to know what period dignity means to people in Hull."
"What is a happy period?”
The survey will run for 28 days – the average menstrual cycle length – with the aim of finding out about the level of period poverty in the city, what people’s attitudes are around periods and what would make a happy, dignified, period.
Tell us your views here and find us on Instagram @the28daysurvey
