PURPOSE: The study was done to survey feminine hygiene and vaginal douche practices in middle-aged women to obtain basic information for public health education. METHODS: With a descriptive survey design, 134 middle-aged women who have menstrual period were recruited via convenience sampling. Survey contents were from the study by Czerwinski (2000) regarding feminine hygiene and vaginal douching practices. After obtaining IRB approval, a self-administered structured questionnaire was distributed to study participants. RESULTS: Mean age of middle-aged women was 46.88 years old. Fifty-six percent of the women practiced vaginal douching. Women performed douching with water (68%), commercial products (13%), soap (12%), and vinegar-mixed water (6%) for clean and fresh feeling, removal of unpleasant odor, and removal of vaginal discharge. Vaginal douche practice was significantly related to a history of vaginitis. CONCLUSION: The study results indicate that most of the women practiced inadequate feminine hygiene especially in douching, suggesting that is important to develop education programs on feminine hygiene practices for women of all ages, especially regarding douching and hand washing before and after changing pads or tampons.
Education ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Female ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Hygiene* ; Menstruation ; Odors ; Public Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Soaps ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Vaginal Discharge ; Vaginal Douching ; Vaginitis ; Water

PURPOSE: The study was to survey personal hygiene practice related to genito-urinary tract and menstrual hygiene management in female adolescents in order to obtain basic information for health education. METHODS: With a descriptive survey design, 389 adolescents were recruited via convenience sampling in Korea. Survey instrument was the feminine and menstrual hygiene practice and perception of vaginal douching. Data were collected from a self-administered structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean age of adolescents was 16.09 and menarche was at 13.21. While washing hands after urination/defecation was highly performed, wipe front to back and wash with soap and water were reported as being not well done. Twenty-eight percent reported douching habit. More positive beliefs about douching were reported by adolescents who practiced douching. Menstrual hygiene management was very appropriate with changing sanitary pads regularly with hand washing; but less performed for limiting bathing activity during menstrual periods and washing hands after activity of genito-urinary area. CONCLUSION: Some adolescents practiced inadequate hygiene practices especially for body cleansing during menstrual period and vaginal douching. It is important to develop and implement school health education programs on feminine and personal hygiene for adolescents to help them perform adequate health behaviors.
Adolescent* ; Baths ; Education ; Female ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Health Behavior ; Health Education ; Humans ; Hygiene* ; Korea ; Menarche ; Menstruation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; School Health Services ; Soaps ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Vaginal Douching

OBJECTIVETo explore the epidemic characteristics of vaginal douching, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases(STD) among female sex workers (FSWs) in Yunnan province.

METHODSFSWs were recruited to be investigated on their demographic data, drug abuse and sexual behavior, HIV/AIDS knowledge and procreation health status. Venous blood were collected to test for HIV, herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) and syphilis while urine specimen was for morphine, cervical secretion for Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia trachomatis, and vaginal secretion for Trichomonas.

RESULTSA total number of 833 blood specimen were collected, in which 84 specimen were confirmed to be HIV positive with a prevalence rate of 10.1%. The prevalence rates of syphilis and HSV-2 were 8.2% and 68.4% respectively. 832 vaginal and cervical secretion specimen were collected with the prevalence rates of Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas were 11.5%, 28.2% and 11.9% respectively. In multivariate logistic analysis, the factors associated with vaginal douching were: being Han nationality, locations of sex work at middle/high level, ever heard of HIV/AIDS, emerged hypogastric pain last year, the number of sex work location > or =4.

CONCLUSIONVaginal douching was shown a risk factor for HIV and some STD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Chlamydia Infections ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gonorrhea ; epidemiology ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Herpes Genitalis ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sex Work ; statistics & numerical data ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; epidemiology ; Syphilis ; epidemiology ; Vaginal Douching ; adverse effects ; Young Adult