Negotiating care: reproductive tract infections in Vietnam

Perceptions and attitudes in relation to reproductive tract infections including sexually transmitted infections in rural Vietnam: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

To explore perceptions, attitudes and health-seeking patterns for reproductive tract infections including sexually transmitted infections (RTI/STI) among men and women in rural Vietnam.

METHOD

Ten focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 46 women and 27 men aged 15-49 in Bavi district, northern Vietnam. A pre-designed discussion guide was used during the discussions. Content analysis was applied for data analysis. Each sentence/paragraph was coded. Similar codes were clustered and collapsed into sub-categories and categories. Two main themes 'community perceptions of RTI/STI' and 'attitudes towards RTI/STI' were created, based on the relationship between categories.

FINDINGS

Complex terminology with many different terms was used by participants to describe and discuss RTI/STI. "Inflammation" [RTI], Gonorrhoea, Syphilis was described as three stages of STI. Health-seeking patterns for RTI/STI were reported to differ between men and women: self-medication was mentioned as a common practice among women, while men were more likely to seek health care from private providers. Complaints were voiced about clinicians' negative attitudes towards RTI/STI patients.

CONCLUSION

Rural dwellers in a district of Vietnam expressed a variety of misconceptions regarding RTI/STI. Designing health education strategies to provide comprehensive RTI/STI information to the community and improving communication between RTI/STI patients and clinicians are urgently needed.

Factors influencing women's decisions to self-treat vaginal symptoms

PURPOSE

To review the research on women's self-treatment of vaginal symptoms, describe factors influencing this phenomenon, identify evidence-based interventions, and suggest strategies for nurse practitioners (NPs) to promote safe and effective self-treatment decisions by women.

DATA SOURCES

Research articles identified through Medline and CINAHL databases.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary factors influencing women's decisions to self-treat vaginal symptoms were personal (attitudes, beliefs, values, knowledge and experience, and emotions) and environmental (culture, social networks and norms, media, and life context).

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Women's self-diagnostic skills and decision making for self-treatment can be improved through education and support from NPs. The traditional office visit may not provide an opportunity to teach women appropriate self-care because many women do not access providers for advice or information. Different methods of providing information to large numbers of women through consumer publications need to be developed and evaluated.