Periods: How they impact our lives

Share the Dignity is on a mission to end period poverty in Australia.

This report details the results of a preliminary study conducted by QUT into the impact that periods have on women’s lives when learning, training or in employment. It provides contemporary evidence that periods often have a regular and sometimes significant impact on productivity, mental and emotional health, relationships, attendance at work and performance.

An online survey was promoted during 2021-2022 and those students and employees that have periods were invited to respond to the survey. The respondents were high school students (144 respondents), tertiary education students and employees (237 respondents). Most identified as female, so the term woman is used throughout this report, although we know that people with other gender identities may menstruate.