Genital Hygiene Behaviors Of Women And Their Effect On Vaginal Infections

Authors : Kıymet YESİLÇİÇEK ÇALIK, Reyhan ERKAYA, Gülnur İNCE, Nazende KORKMAZ YILDIZ

Pages : 210-216

Doi:10.33808/clinexphealthsci.565845

View : 26 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 2020-09-29

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objectives: This descriptive study was carried out with the purpose of determining the genital hygiene behaviors and the effects of these behaviors on vaginal infections. Methods: The study included 266 voluntary married women in the 20-49 age range, registered at the University  Hospital  in Trabzon, Turkey. The data were collected with a questionnaire, Genital Hygiene Behavior Inventory insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(GHBI);,  gynecological examination  and  Pap smear test. The results were evaluated through descriptive statistical methods insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(frequency, percentage, average, and standard deviation);, one way analysis of variance insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ANOVA);, Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests.  Results: GHBI average of women was found to be 77.41±9.05. There were statistically significant difference in genital hygiene behaviors between women with regards to women’s education, profession, presence or absence of social security, income, husband’s work and education, number of pregnancies, total number of children, spontaneous abortion, presence of vaginal discharge and the duration of complaints insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p<0.05);. 54.9% of the women reported that they had vaginal discharge. Of these women, 45.1% had pathological vaginal discharge and odor insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(34.6%); and burning insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(35%); complaints. The speculum examination showed that 42.6% had pathological discharge and the incidence of genital infection was 79% in the Pap smear. According to the speculum examination, 71.4% of the women were found to have either pathological or non-pathological discharge in any case. Conclusions: i t was found that the average GHBI scores of the women were slightly above the medium level, that some wrong and inadequate genital hygiene practices of women increased the risk of vaginal infection.
Keywords : Genital hygiene, genital hygiene behavior inventory, genital infection, women