TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring the availability and accessibility of menstrual friendly public toilets (MFPTs) in urban spaces
T2 - A global multi-city audit study
AU - Nguyen, Angela Maithy
AU - Maroko, Andrew R.
AU - Blake, Sarah
AU - Sugita, Elli
AU - Fazzioni, Natália Helou
AU - Lomboy, Marian Fe Theresa C.
AU - Bukenya, Justine
AU - Cole, Helen V.S.
AU - Gregorio, Ernesto R.
AU - Hopper, Kim J.
AU - Sommer, Marni
N1 - Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2025/3
Y1 - 2025/3
N2 - Background: Public toilets enable populations, including those who menstruate, to move through public spaces. Menstrual Friendly Public Toilets (MFPT) are accessible, safe, and clean public toilets that provide those who menstruate the space and resources to navigate cities with dignity and comfort. However, there is little evidence on the status of MFPTs in urban centers. This study assessed the menstrual friendly characteristics of public toilets in Barcelona, Kampala, Manila, New York City, Osaka, Rio de Janeiro and quantified the overall “menstrual friendliness” by city and neighborhood type. Methods: We conducted public toilet audits in four types of neighborhoods (Business, Tourist, Transit hub, Residential) in each city. The audit tool captured a range of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) characteristics. Aggregate scores (“MFPT Index”) were calculated to summarize the menstrual friendliness of public toilets within the neighborhoods and across cities. Results: A total of 181 public toilet audits were analyzed. Areas around Transit hubs had the highest density of toilets, Residential areas were comparatively under resourced, and toilets in Business areas were relatively more “menstrual friendly.” The overall mean score for the MFPT Index was 0.67, ranging between 0.49 and 0.79 across cities. Sub-domain scores of the MFPT Index indicated key aspects for improvement in relation to Accessibility, Structure, Privacy/Safety, General Resources, Cleanliness, and MHH Resources. Conclusion: There is a significant gap in the provision of MFPTs in urban centers. Further research is needed to understand the extent of challenges related to accessibility, structural amenities, and availability of MHH-related resources, and how they can best be addressed. Our study's findings underscore the need for the prioritization of MFPTs in public spaces to ensure all individuals have equitable access to manage their menstrual cycles.
AB - Background: Public toilets enable populations, including those who menstruate, to move through public spaces. Menstrual Friendly Public Toilets (MFPT) are accessible, safe, and clean public toilets that provide those who menstruate the space and resources to navigate cities with dignity and comfort. However, there is little evidence on the status of MFPTs in urban centers. This study assessed the menstrual friendly characteristics of public toilets in Barcelona, Kampala, Manila, New York City, Osaka, Rio de Janeiro and quantified the overall “menstrual friendliness” by city and neighborhood type. Methods: We conducted public toilet audits in four types of neighborhoods (Business, Tourist, Transit hub, Residential) in each city. The audit tool captured a range of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) characteristics. Aggregate scores (“MFPT Index”) were calculated to summarize the menstrual friendliness of public toilets within the neighborhoods and across cities. Results: A total of 181 public toilet audits were analyzed. Areas around Transit hubs had the highest density of toilets, Residential areas were comparatively under resourced, and toilets in Business areas were relatively more “menstrual friendly.” The overall mean score for the MFPT Index was 0.67, ranging between 0.49 and 0.79 across cities. Sub-domain scores of the MFPT Index indicated key aspects for improvement in relation to Accessibility, Structure, Privacy/Safety, General Resources, Cleanliness, and MHH Resources. Conclusion: There is a significant gap in the provision of MFPTs in urban centers. Further research is needed to understand the extent of challenges related to accessibility, structural amenities, and availability of MHH-related resources, and how they can best be addressed. Our study's findings underscore the need for the prioritization of MFPTs in public spaces to ensure all individuals have equitable access to manage their menstrual cycles.
KW - Gender
KW - Menstrual health
KW - Menstruation
KW - Public toilets
KW - Sanitation
KW - Urban space
KW - Gender
KW - Menstrual health
KW - Menstruation
KW - Public toilets
KW - Sanitation
KW - Urban space
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85215363072&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/cf1835bf-e612-390a-945f-1650a6d84cfe/
UR - https://portalrecerca.uab.cat/en/publications/67c33b75-88a9-466f-b21b-e6522dd57abb
U2 - 10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103412
DO - 10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103412
M3 - Article
C2 - 39827055
AN - SCOPUS:85215363072
SN - 1353-8292
VL - 92
JO - Health and Place
JF - Health and Place
M1 - 103412
ER -