Period poverty, housing and food insecurity, and mental health among college students in Hawai'i.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence and associations between period poverty and depressive symptoms among college students with food and/or housing insecurity in the University of Hawai'i system. Period poverty is an important public health concern within the USA and has been linked with poor mental health among university students in prior research.

METHODS

An anonymous, online survey was conducted in February-March, 2023, with college students in Hawai'i (N = 462) through an academic-community partnership. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions assessed relationships between period poverty and depressive symptoms, stratified by food insecurity and housing.

RESULTS

Nearly 43% (n = 199) of students (N =462) reported past-year period poverty and 28% reported moderate/severe depressive symptoms. Among women with food insecurity and/or housing insecurity, those experiencing period poverty were nearly two times more likely to report depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-3.40; aOR 1.98, 95% CI 1.10-3.40, respectively) compared with those without period poverty.

CONCLUSION

Period poverty may be an added mental health burden for those experiencing other forms of basic needs insecurity. Understanding the impact of period poverty on students' well-being is critical to implementing effective policies and interventions to foster student success.