Abstract
The purpose of this project is to contribute to the understanding of the nature of access to menstrual hygiene products in the Akron area. Questions being researched are “Do Akron area residents need better access to menstrual hygiene products?”, “What is the nature of current access to products in the Akron area?”, “What influences a lack of access to products, if anything?”, and “What kinds of products are preferred and actually used?” The project consists of a 30-question survey, which was taken online by 51 participants. Completed analyses were cross tabulation analyses using Qualtrics and IBM SPSS programs and Pearson Correlations using IBM SPSS. Results showed no statistically significant correlations between variables. Though no statistical significance was found, evidence suggests that there is a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products in the community, and a large portion of individuals who use products have, at some point in their lives, had no access to any products while menstruating. To adapt, a variety of methods were commonly used, such as rolling toilet paper, socks, rags into undergarments and utilizing support from others. In conclusion, additional research needs to be completed with a larger sample size and more concise questionnaire items in order to determine factors that influence a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products
