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Why Some Women Douche and Why Other Women Never Start: Results from a National Survey. Lucy Annang, PhD, MPH Diane M. Grimley, PhD UAB School of Public Health Department of Health Behavior. 2006 National STD Prevention Conference. Background.
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Why Some Women Douche and Why Other Women Never Start: Results from a National Survey Lucy Annang, PhD, MPH Diane M. Grimley, PhD UAB School of Public Health Department of Health Behavior 2006 National STD Prevention Conference
Background • Vaginal douching has been linked to numerous reproductive health consequences • Bacterial Vaginosis (Ness et al., 2002; Schwebke et al., 2004; Cottrell 2006) • PID (Jossens et al., 1996; Zhang et al., 1997; Ness et al., 2002) • STIs (Scholes et al., 1998; Peters et al., 2000; Foch et al., 2001)
Background (con’t) • Despite these relationships, women continue to douche • 27% of all females • 55% of African American females (NCHS, 1997) • Reasons why some women douche and others never initiate the behavior is unclear
Methodology • Random-digit-dial CATI • English speaking U.S. females ages 18-44 • “Women’s health issues” questionnaire measured • Demographic characteristics • Gynecologic history • Douching behaviors • Other feminine hygiene product use
Methodology (con’t) • Participants not offered incentive • Closed and open-ended questions • Descriptive analyses of quantitative and qualitative items • Full details available: Grimley et al., 2006 MCHJ
Results—Behavioral Characteristics by Douching Status (%) P < 0.05
Results—Behavioral Characteristics by Douching Status (con’t) (%) P < 0.05
Results—Never Douchers’ Reasons for Never Starting to Douche %
Conclusions • Douching prevalence on the decline • Associations with BV and STIs • Two major reasons emerged for both current douchers and never douchers • Cleanliness and recommendations • Unnecessary behavior and recommendations
Conclusions (con’t) • Efforts to prevent women from initiating or modifying the frequency of douching should acknowledge these motivational cues
Limitations • Low response rate • Only English speaking population • Representative?
Future Directions • Consider motivation for douching (and never initiating) by race/ethnicity
Acknowledgements Terry Hooks, BA ASPH/CDC Grant #S1451 The findings and conclusions in this presentation have not been formally disseminated by the CDC/ATSDR and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy.