What Makes a Happy Period – Survey Aims To Uncover Period Poverty

A 28 Day Survey is a new campaign to start conversations around women’s health issues. It starts with the question, what makes a happy period?

It comes after suggestions at the Hull Health and Wellbeing Board showed that over  3000 women in Hull will struggle to afford sanitary products.

As a result, 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. Women should also not 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, but we need to understand more about people’s attitude towards periods. Also, we need to understand 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. They also outlined how it could help health and social care services to better support people to live in Period Dignity.

Women Urged To Take Part In The What Makes a Happy Period Survey

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.”

 “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 want to know if women are embarrassed or ashamed by their periods too 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 which is the average menstrual cycle length. Its aim is to find out about the level of period poverty in the city. While they also hope to learn what people’s attitudes are around periods and what would make a happy, dignified, period.

You can share your views by visiting www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/happyperiodsweb and find us on Instagram @the28daysurvey