Overview of Period Poverty Among the Urban Poor During COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Period poverty is defined as lack of access to hygiene products, financial constraints and difficulties in disposing of menstrual management waste materials. The outbreak of COVID-19 that hit the world is now adding more difficulties to people in Malaysian society who are affected in terms of menstrual management. Period poverty has put pressure on the urban poor especially during the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, forcing many women to put aside the desire to buy sanitary products because they have to prioritize other necessities. This study aims to identify the problems of period poverty occurring among the urban poor in Malaysia during the pandemic. As a literature highlight review, the approach of this research is qualitative using the method of document analysis. The research finds that period poverty has hit the urban poor badly during this ongoing pandemic and it invites health problems when old papers and newspapers are used as sanitary pads such as urinary tract and perinatal infections.