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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07610421

ECOLOGICAL MESSAGE FRAMING 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

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Key information

Conditions

Climate Anxiety Behavior Environmental Sustainability Health Behavior Menstrual Product Choice

Age range

18 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ankara Medipol Üniversitesi

Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Gain-framed ecological message

Behavioral

A standardized text-based message emphasizing the benefits of reusable and sustainable menstrual products for environmental protection, individual health, and long-term economic savings. The message exposure lasted approximately 2-3 minutes.

Loss-framed ecological message

Behavioral

A standardized text-based message highlighting the environmental and health-related risks associated with disposable and plastic-containing menstrual products, including plastic waste, microplastics, carbon footprint, and ecological harm. The message exposure lasted approximately 2-3 minutes.

Neutral informational message

Behavioral

A standardized text-based neutral message describing disposable and reusable menstrual products, product materials, waste generation, accessibility, cost, comfort, and user-related factors without emotional gain or loss framing.

Primary outcomes

  1. Climate Change Anxiety Score

    Time frame: Immediately after message exposure, in the same online survey session

    Climate change anxiety was measured using the Climate Change Anxiety Scale. The scale consists of 10 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 to 4. Total scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating higher levels of climate change anxiety.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Environmental Sustainability Attitude Toward Menstrual Products

    Time frame: Immediately after message exposure, in the same online survey session

    Environmental sustainability attitude toward menstrual products was assessed using the Menstrual Product Preference and Environmental Sustainability Questionnaire. The total score ranges from 0 to 48, with higher scores indicating greater environmental sustainability orientation toward menstrual product use.

  2. Environmental Awareness Score

    Time frame: Immediately after message exposure, in the same online survey session

    Environmental awareness was assessed using the environmental awareness subdimension of the Menstrual Product Preference and Environmental Sustainability Questionnaire. Higher scores indicate greater awareness of the environmental impact of menstrual products.

  3. Sustainable Menstrual Product Preference Score

    Time frame: Immediately after message exposure, in the same online survey session

    Sustainable menstrual product preference was assessed using the product preference subdimension of the Menstrual Product Preference and Environmental Sustainability Questionnaire. Higher scores indicate stronger intention or tendency to choose environmentally sustainable menstrual products.

  4. Accessibility and Information-Seeking Score

    Time frame: Immediately after message exposure, in the same online survey session

    Accessibility and information-seeking were assessed using the accessibility and information-seeking subdimension of the Menstrual Product Preference and Environmental Sustainability Questionnaire. Higher scores indicate greater perceived access to sustainable menstrual products and greater willingness to seek information.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ankara Medipol University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

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

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
May 28, 2026
Registry last updated
May 28, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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