Knowledge and Understanding of Menstrual Health in Women With Intellectual Disabilities: A Brief Report.
Special Olympics women with ID hold dangerous menstrual myths that bench them from sport.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Stanford et al. (2026) asked 22 female Special Olympics athletes about periods.
They used a short survey to find out what the women knew.
All athletes had an intellectual disability and lived in the community.
What they found
Most women did not know how often to change pads or tampons.
Many had wrong ideas about hygiene and menopause.
The gaps were big enough to keep some athletes from practice and games.
How this fits with other research
Stuttard et al. (2014) showed kids with moderate to profound ID get sex ed only one-third as often as peers with mild ID. Laura’s adults still show the same knowledge holes years later.
Hatton et al. (2004) found people with ID carry more epilepsy, skin and bone problems than the general public. Laura adds menstrual health to that list of overlooked needs.
Robinson et al. (2018) found strong coach-athlete bonds keep athletes coming back. Fixing period myths could remove a new barrier to that staying power.
Why it matters
If an athlete fears leaking or thinks tampons are unsafe, she may skip practice. A quick 5-question screener about pad change timing and menopause facts can spot who needs help. Add a simple picture calendar to track cycles and link her to a nurse or trusted female staff. Keeping her in uniform keeps her in sport.
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Join Free →Hand each female athlete a three-picture card showing pad change every 3-4 hours and ask her to point to the safest choice.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Women with intellectual disabilities (ID) often lack effective education and support surrounding menstrual health. This can directly impact self-care, participation and regular engagement in sport and more generally, health and wellbeing. METHODS: Twenty-two athletes from the Special Olympics were surveyed to assess knowledge and understanding of menstrual health. Responses were analyzed descriptively to identify their gaps in knowledge and understanding. RESULTS: Many participants had misconceptions about menstrual hygiene, with most incorrectly estimating how frequently sanitary products should be changed. Few participants used tampons, which likely impacted their menstrual management, especially during sport activities. Additionally, knowledge about menopause was notably low, with no significant difference between age groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a critical need for targeted education and resources to improve menstrual health knowledge among women Special Olympic athletes with ID. Addressing these gaps can enhance their independence, quality of life and sport participation. Further research and interventions are necessary to better support this population in managing their menstrual health effectively.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2026 · doi:10.18773/austprescr.2016.024