Women's intimate health and hygiene in Little Haiti: Traditional therapy options from local Botanicas

BACKGROUND

Culturally mediated feminine hygiene practices, such as douching and intravaginal drying, are associated with negative gynecological health outcomes, including an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Such practices are common throughout Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and also among select immigrant populations in the United States. As part of an ongoing Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) initiative, we examined these practices in Little Haiti, the predominately Haitian neighborhood in Miami, Florida.

OBJECTIVE

To document and describe feminine hygiene practices among Haitian women living in Little Haiti in an effort to understand, and ultimately attenuate, the excess STI burden in this neighborhood.

METHODS

Community Health Workers (CHWs) canvassed area botanicas to learn about the various feminine hygiene products available in Little Haiti. CHWs purchased products, asking for detailed instruction for preparation and use from botanica owners or employees.

RESULTS

Preliminary findings indicate that Haitian women regularly engage in intravaginal cleansing using a variety of agents. Botanicas are sources of gynecological health information and serve as commercial suppliers of such agents, which include plants, branded imported products, antibiotics and chemical compounds. This practice is sustained, in part, by cultural notions of female cleanliness, that have direct implications for women's desirability, and subsequently, economic survival through dependence on male partners.

CONCLUSIONS

Data collected by CHWs contributed to the creation of a catalog of agents and modes of preparation. Future research must examine chemical properties and composition of agents, and determine their potential roles in increasing women's risk for STIs.