Poise® Is Breaking the Silence in America’s Health Deserts With a New Documentary
This is branded contentSponsored by Poise®
While conversations around women’s health are becoming more commonplace, many women in rural areas of the U.S. lack sufficient access to gynecologic care and essential health checkups. Poise®, the number one brand for light bladder leak protection, is committed to ensuring health discussions are openly addressed, and is beginning to explore innovative solutions to provide women in underserved areas with accessible health information about perimenopause and menopause.
Health deserts – primarily rural areas with limited access to adequate healthcare – make up 80% of the country’s counties[1] and remarkably, only about 6% of the nation’s obstetricians and gynecologists practice in those rural areas.[2]
For perimenopausal and menopausal women in rural areas specifically, the lack of resources can make it more challenging to understand and manage the symptoms associated with this life transition. Each year, approximately 2 million women in the U.S. enter perimenopause[3], and approximately 1.3 million become menopausal[4], yet many women don’t understand their symptoms – let alone understand how to treat them.[5]
Bladder leaks, a symptom of menopause, affect 25 million women in the U.S.in some form, but many do not acknowledge the issue[6]. Shame, stigma and lack of information can keep many from talking about it. But Poise believes that, through a new collaboration with scientists, dry urine may be able to be extracted from the material used in pads and tested for indicators related to perimenopause and menopause.
To amplify Poise’s research, the brand traveled across America to hear firsthand from women in rural health deserts about the struggles they face as they enter perimenopause and menopause. Their powerful stories are captured in a compelling new film shot by Oscar and Emmy-nominated director Sara Nesson and is available now at Poise.com/DropsofHope.
Poise® believes all women deserve access to vital health information about perimenopause and menopause regardless of where she calls home.
For more information about this initiative visit Poise.com/DropsofHope.
1] Nguyen, A., et al., Mapping healthcare deserts: 80% of the country lacks adequate access to healthcare. GoodRx. September, 2021.
[2] Statz, M. and K. Evers, Spatial barriers as moral failings: What rural distance can teach us about women’s health and medical mistrust author names and affiliations. Health Place, 2020. 64: p. 102396.
[3] Wegrzynowicz, A.K., et al., Insights into Perimenopause: A Survey of Perceptions, Opinions on Treatment, and Potential Approaches. Women, 2025. 5(1): p. 4.
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507826/
[5] Atomik Research Online Survey sponsored by Poise, 1,114 women between the ages of 34-65 throughout the U.S., March 34-25, 2025.
[6] Burke Inc. Consumer Habit and Attitudes Study sponsored by Kimberly-Clark, 5,131 U.S. females ages 20-85, 2023.
