How many times have people gone to work while feeling unwell because they questioned whether their symptoms were legitimate enough?

That question of legitimacy lies at the heart of many invisible health challenges in the workplace. Menstrual cycle related  symptoms can be painful, disruptive, and affect daily functioning, yet stigma often makes people question whether these experiences are valid enough to acknowledge or discuss.

Against this backdrop, Davinny Sou presented research-in-progress at the 34th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2026) in Milan (14–17 June 2026) during the Digital Health in Action session, chaired by Roxana Ologeanu-Taddei. The work was part of a collaborative project with EnBW AG, conducted together with Vassilka Kavassakali, Saeed Amirabdolahian, Achim Reuther, Tobias Kowatsch, and Marcia Nißen.

The study explores how a low-threshold digital intervention can enhance menstrual health awareness and literacy in the workplace.

Particularly encouraging was the positive feedback from the audience and the growing interest in menstrual, perimenopausal, and menopausal health within the Information Systems community.

An exciting reminder that Information Systems can do more than deliver information – they can help make invisible experiences visible and legitimate.

Sou, Davinny; Kavassakali, Vassilka; Amirabdolahian, Saeed; Reuther, Achim; Kowatsch, Tobias; and Nißen, Marcia, “A LOW-THRESHOLD DIGITAL INTERVENTION TO ENHANCE MENSTRUAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND LITERACY IN THE WORKPLACE” (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 3.https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/hit/hit/3