Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111411

N. Schmidt, MPH¹, N. Liddon, PhD², V. Rock², Edward V. Morse, PhD³, Patricia M. Morse, PhD⁴, Athena Pantazis¹, and Patricia Kissinger, PhD⁵. (1) Epidemiology, Tulane University, c/o Patricia Kissinger PhD 136 South Roman Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, 504-568-7306, nschmid1@tulane.edu, (2) Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-44, Atlanta, GA 30333, (3) Department of Pediatrics SL-37, Tulane University, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, (4) Department of Psychiatry, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1542 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112, (5) Tulane University, Tulane Univeristy, 1440 Canal Street 20th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112

Purpose: Douching is associated with a higher risk of bacterial vaginosis. This study explores the social and contextual factors associated with douching among adolescent and young women who douche and those who do not. Methods: Researchers recruited women aged 16-24 who douche (n=27) and those who do not (n=24) from public family planning clinics in New Orleans, LA to participate in focus groups or in-depth interviews. Themes discussed included: personal hygiene, knowledge, attitudes and practices about douching, social influences. Results: Most participants described being influenced by their mothers when deciding whether or not to initiate and continue douching. Women who douched said it gave them the feeling of freshness and most often talked about douching in association with sexual contact or menstruation. Non-douchers more often discussed their beliefs that the body is self-cleaning with no need to practice any additional vaginal cleaning. Both groups reported warnings from health care providers. Douchers recalled receiving these messages after experiencing negative outcomes from douching, while non-douchers cited such messages as reasons why they never started douching. Many respondents reported frustration with providers' inadequate explanations of the reasons to not douche. Conclusions: Mothers' douching attitudes and behavior strongly influence those of their daughters. Further research should address mothers' douching, as well as their level and style of communication with their daughters. Timely provider-client communication about the risks of douching that provides medically detailed messages in the context of menstruation and sexual activity could prevent initiation and reduce douching among young women.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

• Describe the issues associated with vaginal douching among adolescents attending a family planning clinic.
• Discuss possible ways to recognize issues in clinical encounters with adolescent females who douche.
• Develop provider-patient communciation strategies about the pressures to and the practice of douching.

Keywords: Health Behavior, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.