ECOLOGICAL MESSAGE FRAMING AND SUSTAINABLE MENSTRUAL PRODUCT CHOICES

Framing the Climate Crisis: Effects of Gain- and Loss-Based Ecological Messages on Climate Anxiety and Sustainable Menstrual Product Choices

Background: Climate change is an increasing public health concern, with growing evidence linking climate change anxiety to health behaviors. Message framing (loss-framed, gain-framed, neutral) is a key strategy in behavioral medicine that may influence both emotional responses and environmentally related health behaviors, including menstrual product choices.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of message framing strategies on women's climate change anxiety, attitudes toward environmental sustainability of menstrual products, and menstrual product preference tendencies.

Keywords: Menstrual Hygiene Products, climate change, message framing, eco-anxiety, environmental sustainability, women's health

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women aged 18 to 45 years
• Having regular menstrual cycles
• Having sufficient proficiency in reading and understanding Turkish
• Providing voluntary informed consent to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women without a menstrual cycle
• Menopausal women
• Women with visual or cognitive impairments that prevent understanding the study messages
• Participants who submitted incomplete survey forms