Vaginal douching and associated factors among married women attending a family planning clinic or a gynecology clinic

Prevalence and Factors Associated With Vaginal Douching Among Secondary School Girls in a Metropolitan City in Ogun State, Nigeria

STUDY OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with vaginal douching among secondary school girls in a metropolitan city in Ogun State, Nigeria.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out using a semi-structured interviewer-assisted questionnaire adapted from previous studies.

SETTING

Eight secondary schools in a metropolitan city of Ogun State.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 818 secondary school girls aged 10-19 years.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The outcome of interest was the association between vaginal douching (lifetime) with demographic characteristics, socioeconomic characteristics of respondents' parents, source of information on douching (eg, family members, teachers), and perception about douching and its health consequences.

RESULTS

Mean age of the respondents was 13.9 ± 1.9 years. Most (72.7%) respondents were from co-educational schools; 62.5% were from public schools; 53.2% were day students; and majority (82.0%) were from nuclear families. Prevalence of vaginal douching was 63.8% and the predictors of the practice were respondents' age (OR, 0.2; 95% CI = 0.063-0.603), family setting (OR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.221-0.819), fathers' occupation (OR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.312-0.953), main source of douching information (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.370-4.192), and perception about douching and its health consequences (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.403-3.523 and OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.236-3.187 respectively).

CONCLUSION

Vaginal douching was prevalent among secondary school adolescent girls in the study area. Factors associated with the practice include age, family setting, fathers' occupation, source of information on douching, perception about douching practice, and perceived health consequences of the practice.

Symptoms Experience and Quality of Life in The Patients With Breast Cancer Receiving The Taxane Class of Drugs

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate the symptoms experience and quality of life in patients with breast cancer receiving the taxane class of drugs.

Materials and Methods

This study was performed between November 2015 March 2016 in a chemotherapy unit of a university hospital with 48 patients, who agreed to participate in the study. The Memorial Symptom Rating Score (MSAS), Socio-demographic and Clinical Features Form, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast (EORTC QLQ- BR23) measures specific to breast cancer were used to obtain data.

Results

The average age of the patients was 45.65. The majority of patients were treated with the paclitaxel/paclitaxel+trastuzumab treatment protocol (60.42%), and more than half (54.16%) of these patients were on 5 or 6 treatments. The symptoms patients experienced the most commonly included being sensitive, weakness or energy loss and pain. The symptoms they experienced severely were included fatigue and energy loss and being sensitive. The most distressing symptoms were pain, worry, numbness in hands and feet. The overall well-being score of the patients as per the quality of life findings was 46.18±11.66. While the lowest score for the functional scales was in the social function subscale (66.32±15.18), the highest score for the symptom scales was in the pain subscale (42.01±15.37). The lowest score for the EORTC QLQ-BR23 scales was in the sexual life subscale (20.83±20.19); the highest score was in the body appearance subscale (65.8±23.96).

Conclusion

The results of the study are thought to be helpful for the oncology nurses in evaluating the patients in all aspects and in determining priorities for care.

Ethnicity, family socioeconomic inequalities, and prevalence of vaginal douching among college students: the implication for health

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the association between ethnicity and family socioeconomic status (SES) as it relates to the prevalence of vaginal douching among female undergraduates in a university community.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional survey conducted between September 2011 and February 2012 among 1,535 female undergraduates using a semistructured behavioral questionnaire adapted by the authors from previous research related to vaginal douching practice.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of vaginal douching was 79.35% and the practice was significantly associated with the mother's age, ethnicity, low SES (educational level, occupation, and monthly income), and area of residence. The father's age and SES were statistically nonsignificant.

CONCLUSION

Ethnicity and low SES of mothers were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of douching in daughters. These factors should be considered among others in any intervention to discourage vaginal douching among college women.

Effects of vaginal douching education on Turkish women's vaginal douching practice

BACKGROUND

Vaginal douching (VD) is a very common practice in Turkish culture. This practice is affected by individual and cultural characteristics.

PURPOSE

The aim of the research was to determine how the education based on Pender's health promotion model (HPM) affects women's decision to quit vaginal douche and the factors that cause women to continue VD practices.

METHODS

The HPM guided the 2-hr education process. The sample has 58 women.

RESULTS

As a result, the model education-based HPM helped 69% of women to quit VD practice. It was also determined that education affected women who performed VD to feel clean and to comply with the religion but was less effective in women who had lower education or performed VD to comply with the husband's demand.

CONCLUSIONS

Finally, the study showed that the education based on HPM affected the women to change their attitude toward VD and quit it.

Vaginal douching practices among Turkish married women

AIM

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of the practice of vaginal douching among Turkish married women and associations between their douching status, predisposing factors, and effects on their health.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey of women between 17 and 61 years of age was conducted between February 1, 2007, and May 18, 2007, in the Maternity-Gynecology and Children's Hospital in Ordu, Turkey. The sample of this study included 427 women. A confidential and anonymous self-reported questionnaire was collected in a convenient sample of the women.

RESULTS

Of the 427 women in the study, 165 women (38.6%) had douched at some time. Housewives [odds ratio (OR) 2.660, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.162-6.090], women who had experienced a spontaneous abortion (OR 4.676, 95% CI 1.606-13.618), or had beliefs about positive health effects of vaginal douching (OR 29.603, 95% CI 14.090-62.192) also had risk factors associated with vaginal douching practices.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study found that vaginal douching is a common practice among women. Many of the women who practiced vaginal douching believed in its health benefits. The results may enhance healthcare practitioners' knowledge and efforts to educate their patients.

Vaginal douching practice and related symptoms in a rural area of Turkey

PURPOSE

To investigate vaginal douching habits and associated factors among women living in rural Turkey.

METHODS

This study was performed in the gynecology department of a government hospital in a rural area of Turkey, from February to March 2010. The study included 393 women admitted to the gynecology clinic. The age, marital status, education, socioeconomic status, reason for vaginal douching, douching frequency, symptoms, and previous treatments were investigated. All of the subjects were asked about the use of, frequency, and reason for vaginal douching. Significant risk factors in the vaginal douching group and odds coefficients were found using binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

The major symptoms of the subjects were itching and vaginal discharge. Of the 393 women, 317 (80.66%) performed vaginal douching and all of them had recurrent or treatment-resistant mixed agent vulvovaginitis. The majority of the women douched for ritual cleansing or washing before prayer (n = 278; 91.6%). The majority of the cases (n = 354; 90.1%) were of lower socioeconomic and educational status. The odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the risk variables vaginal douching frequency, cervical motion tenderness, dyspareunia, and vaginal itching were 9.39 (2.07-42.48), 7.31 (2.08-25.64), 6.52 (2.26-18.78), and 1.46 (1.22-1.74), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In our region, vaginal douching is a common practice among women, especially those of lower socioeconomic and educational status. Clinicians should inform patients about the risks of vaginal douching to minimize the risks associated with this behavior.

Discussions of vaginal douching with family members

PURPOSE

This study examined women's personal douching history and the information they were given by others.

METHODS

Participants in the study (N=199; mean age=28.92) completed a 48-question survey on douching practices and attitudes.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven percent of participants had douched and 39% currently douche. The majority of women reported douching after menstruation, before or after sex, or as needed. Reasons for douching included maintaining cleanliness, feeling good and fresh, eliminating vaginal odor, and removing menstrual blood. Most women (69%) had at least one discussion about douching, with 49% having a discussion with their mother and 22% with a health care provider (HCP). Of the women who currently do not douche, 47% stopped after a HCP instructed them to quit; whereas, 100% of women whose HCP encouraged douching went on to douche. Furthermore, 66% of women planned to discuss douching with a younger girl, with 57% encouraging or being neutral and 43% discouraging it. Women who have previously douched were more likely to discuss and encourage douching than women who had never douched. Also, women who have received a discussion about douching or were encouraged to douche were more likely to douche than women who had not received a discussion or were discouraged.

CONCLUSIONS

Results from this study suggest that younger generations may be taught about or encouraged to douche by their mothers. By giving women accurate information and discouraging douching, women may be less likely to douche or encourage douching in their daughters.

Vaginal douching in Cambodian women: its prevalence and association with vaginal candidiasis

BACKGROUND

We determined the prevalence of vaginal douching (cleansing of the vagina with liquid) in a sample of Cambodian women, and examined the associations of douching with genitourinary symptoms and infections, after controlling for potential confounding factors, including genitourinary symptoms and sociodemographic factors.

METHODS

A total of 451 adolescent and adult females aged 15 to 49 years who attended 17 maternal and child health (MCH) clinics in 7 provinces of Cambodia in 2001 were consecutively enrolled as a part of the Sexually Transmitted Infection Sentinel Survey. Sociodemographic factors, genitourinary symptoms, and frequency of douching were assessed by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Vaginal infections were examined by using standard diagnostic procedures specific to each pathogen.

RESULTS

The proportion of participants who douched at least once a week was 76.7% (n = 346). Douching was significantly more prevalent in urban than in rural women (85.7%, n = 198 vs 67.3%, n = 148; P < 0.001). Frequency of douching was significantly associated with genitourinary symptoms, which were most prevalent in participants who douched from several times a week to once a day; genitourinary symptoms were less prevalent in those who douched more than once a day. Douching was significantly associated with vaginal candidiasis, but not with trichomoniasis or bacterial vaginosis, and this association persisted even after controlling for sociodemographic factors and genitourinary symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Vaginal douching was very common among Cambodian women visiting MCH clinics. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the reasons for douching. In addition, women should be informed that douching may endanger their reproductive health.

A descriptive study of douching practices in Turkish women

Vaginal douching is a common hygiene practice for many women all over the world. Little is known about the beliefs and attitudes that promote and maintain douching practices. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the status of vaginal douching practices of women in the Erzurum province of Turkey. The present study was a descriptive and cross-sectional quality. All participants were 15-49 years of age and all were married. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and chi(2) test. The present study revealed that the frequency of douching was 51.4% among women and that the most common reason for their habit was feminine hygiene and the most popular material used was water. A statistically significant relationship was found between the habit of doing the vaginal douching and the educational level, age of marriage, number of births, case of genital infections within the last year and presence of complaints indicating vaginal infections for the last month. This study provides preliminary information about women's douching practices and attitudes. It might also provide information to health-care practitioners in their efforts to educate women on the adverse effects of vaginal douching.

Vaginal douching among Latina immigrants

Little is known about vaginal douching among Latina immigrants in the U.S. Understanding factors associated with douching is important due to the negative reproductive outcomes associated with this practice. This study examined demographic and behavioral factors associated with vaginal douching among Latina immigrants. A cross-sectional anonymous survey was administered among a convenience sample of 206 Latina immigrants aged 19-44 years (mean = 28 years) living in the U.S. at least 6 months (mean = 4 years). Demographic and behavioral characteristics, history of regular douching (at least once a month for 6 months), and current regular douching (at least once a month for the last 6 months) were assessed. Adjusted odds ratios (adj. OR) were estimated using multiple logistic regression. Overall, 25% (n = 50) of women reported ever douching regularly and 15% (n = 31) reported current regular douching. Ever douching regularly was significantly associated with a woman's number of lifetime sex partners (adj. OR = 1.6 per additional partner over one, 95% CI: 1.1-2.5), hormonal contraceptive use (adj. OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-0.9), and healthcare seeking behavior (adj. OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1-5.2). Regular vaginal douching is a common practice among Latina immigrants. Factors associated with douching in this population vary from those in other U.S. populations and, therefore, it needs to be addressed in a culturally appropriate manner.

Vaginal douching and intimate partner violence: is there an association?

OBJECTIVE

This study tests the hypothesis that vaginal douching among women of reproductive age is associated with exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV).

METHODS

The data source is a cross-sectional population-based sample of 2,002 women ages 18-45 in the Central Pennsylvania Women's Health Study. The survey included measures of IPV, douching behavior, and relevant sociodemographic and health-related covariates.

FINDINGS

Six percent of the sample reported experiencing any type of IPV in the past year, and 23% reported douching in the past year. IPV is significantly associated with douching after controlling for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. This finding holds for women with and without current reproductive capacity.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to identify an association between vaginal douching and IPV. Because vaginal douching is a risk factor for sexually transmitted infections, bacterial vaginosis, and adverse pregnancy outcomes, the findings could have important implications for prevention. Further research is needed to identify the reasons why women who have been exposed to IPV are more likely to douche.