The History of US Menstrual Health, School Nurses, and the Future of Menstrual Health Equity

Bibliographic Data

ID11019192
AuthorsScott Bergen (0000-0002-3939-7645, Sadie Bergen and Marni Sommer are with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Erin D. Maughan is with the George Mason University College of Public Health, Fairfax, VA. Karen E. Johnson is with the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Robin Cogan is with Rutgers School of Nursing and is a school nurse in the Camden City School District, Camden, NJ. Molly Secor is with Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College...), Erin D Maughan (0000-0002-0176-1499, Sadie Bergen and Marni Sommer are with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Erin D. Maughan is with the George Mason University College of Public Health, Fairfax, VA. Karen E. Johnson is with the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Robin Cogan is with Rutgers School of Nursing and is a school nurse in the Camden City School District, Camden, NJ. Molly Secor is with Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College...), Kenneth E Johnson (0000-0002-3935-9067, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey), Karen E Johnson (0000-0003-0000-0556, Sadie Bergen and Marni Sommer are with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Erin D. Maughan is with the George Mason University College of Public Health, Fairfax, VA. Karen E. Johnson is with the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Robin Cogan is with Rutgers School of Nursing and is a school nurse in the Camden City School District, Camden, NJ. Molly Secor is with Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College...), Robin Cogan (0000-0003-3919-807X, Sadie Bergen and Marni Sommer are with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Erin D. Maughan is with the George Mason University College of Public Health, Fairfax, VA. Karen E. Johnson is with the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Robin Cogan is with Rutgers School of Nursing and is a school nurse in the Camden City School District, Camden, NJ. Molly Secor is with Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College...), Molly Secor (0000-0002-2360-4080, Sadie Bergen and Marni Sommer are with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Erin D. Maughan is with the George Mason University College of Public Health, Fairfax, VA. Karen E. Johnson is with the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Robin Cogan is with Rutgers School of Nursing and is a school nurse in the Camden City School District, Camden, NJ. Molly Secor is with Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College...), Marni Sommer (0000-0001-7442-9270, Sadie Bergen and Marni Sommer are with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY. Erin D. Maughan is with the George Mason University College of Public Health, Fairfax, VA. Karen E. Johnson is with the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Robin Cogan is with Rutgers School of Nursing and is a school nurse in the Camden City School District, Camden, NJ. Molly Secor is with Montana State University Mark and Robyn Jones College...)
Year2024
Volume114
Issue9
Pages903-908
Publication date2024-09-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2024.307705
PMID39024527
OpenAlexW4400767330
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited29

In the United States, adolescents suffer from inadequate menstrual health, meaning that adolescents are unprepared for menarche, lack the practical resources they need to comfortably and confidently manage menstruation, and receive inadequate health education and care for menstrual pain and disorders. In this article, we provide a historical analysis of the role of school nurses in addressing menstruation from the early 20th century up to the present day. We contextualize the current realities of school nursing and menstrual health education and clinical support. We argue that the decentralized US school system, a cultural aversion to open discussion about menstruation, and the outsized influence of commercial menstrual product manufacturers have hampered the ability of school nurses to deliver menstrual health education along with menstrual health support. Finally, we discuss implications for today’s schooling experiences as well as recommendations for how to support school nurses in aligning our national approach to menstrual health toward the public health perspective of menstrual equity. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(9):903–908. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307705 )

Environmental health · Equity (law) · Family medicine · Political science · Health, psychology, and well-being · Medicine · Menstrual Health and Disorders · Psychology · School Health and Nursing Education

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