SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 13 Issue: 1

Evaluation of Genital Hygiene Behaviors and Vaginal Douching Practices of Married Women Aged 15-49 in Fertile Period

Aytül Hadımlı(EGE UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES)0000-0003-4096-7964
Mahide Demirelöz Akyüz(EGE ÜNİVERSİTESİ SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-2774-892X
Serap Öner(HAKKARI UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES)0000-0002-5989-6070
Birsen Karaca Saydam(EGE ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-5601-8064
Esın Turfan(EGE ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0003-2505-4913
Neriman Soğukpınar(EGE ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-7084-2471
Pages
—
Publication Date
2024-03-20
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Keywords: Women’s health, Genital hygiene, Vaginal douching.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: Analyzing the genital hygiene behaviors and vaginal douching practices of married women aged 15-49 in the fertile period.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Materials and Methods: Married women aged 15-49 in the fertile period (N: 142) registered to the Family Health Center No 11 in Bornova District of İzmir province constituted the universe of the study, while 120 women accepting to participate in the study constituted its sample.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Keywords: Women’s health, Genital hygiene, Vaginal douching.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Women’s health · Genital hygiene · Vaginal douching.

Abstract

Objective: Analyzing the genital hygiene behaviors and vaginal douching practices of married women aged 15-49 in the fertile period. Materials and Methods: Married women aged 15-49 in the fertile period (N: 142) registered to the Family Health Center No 11 in Bornova District of İzmir province constituted the universe of the study, while 120 women accepting to participate in the study constituted its sample. Data were collected through the "Women's Descriptive Features Questionnaire" and "Genital Hygiene Behavior Inventory (GHBI)". The t-test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used in independent samples with percentage calculations in evaluating data, while the correlation between variables was assessed with the chi-squared test. Results: The mean GHBI score of women is 78.36±9.3. A statistically significant difference between women’s educational background, income status, family type, vaginal douching, and complaints about a malodorous vaginal discharge experience among their socio-demographic features, and their mean GHBI score (p<0.05). Conclusion: The total score that the women obtained from the inventory reflects a mid-level genital hygiene behavior on their part. It can be suggested that training sessions be organized for their necessities and awareness on the issue be raised for them to earn correct genital hygiene behaviors. Keywords: Women’s health, Genital hygiene, Vaginal douching.

🔖

Cite This Article

Hadımlı, A., Akyüz, M. D., Öner, S., Saydam, B. K., Turfan, E., Soğukpınar, N. (2024). Evaluation of Genital Hygiene Behaviors and Vaginal Douching Practices of Married Women Aged 15-49 in Fertile Period. Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, Volume: 13 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.53424/balikesirsbd.1376483

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (31)

  1. Apay, S., E., Özdemir, F., Nazik, E., Potur, D., C., Hadımlı, A., Tanrıverdi, D., Alaca, C. (2014). Determination of the genital hygiene behaviours of women in seven different provinces: a multicentred cross-sectional study. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Sciences, 17(4), 245-252. doi: 10.17049/ahsbd.05569
  2. Arslantas, D., Karabagli, H., Koc, F. (2010). Vaginal douching practice in Eskisehir in Turkey. Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology, 2(9), 245-250.
  3. Calik, K., Y., Erkaya, R., İnce, G., & Yildiz, N., K. (2020). Genital hygiene behaviors of women and their effect on vaginal infections. Clinical and Experimental Health Sciences, 10(3), 210-216. doi: 10.33808/clinexphealthsci.565845
  4. Coşkun, A.,M., Yakıt, E., Karakaya, E. (2017). Evaluation of the use of vaginal tampons and vaginal douche practices among women. Journal of Human Sciences, 14(1), 74-88. doi: https://10.14687/jhs.v14i1.4308
  5. Ege, E., Eryılmaz, G. (2006). The effect of planned education given to women on genital hygiene behaviors. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Sciences, 9(3), 8-16.
  6. Ekpenyong, C.,E, Davies, K.,G. (2013). Associations between vaginal douching practice and lower genital tract symptoms and menstrual disorders among young women: a search for risk modulating factors. Advances in Sexual Medicine, 3(4), 76-84. doi: https://10.4236/asm.2013.34012
  7. Ekpenyong, C.,E, Daniel, N.,E., Akpan, E.,E. (2014). Vaginal douching behavior among young adult women and the perceived adverse health effects. Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology, 6(5), 182-191. doi: https://0.5897/JPHE2014.0622
  8. Esber, A., Rao, N., Norris, A., Reese, P. C., Kandodo, J., Nampandeni, P.,. & Turner, A. N. (2016). Intravaginal practices and prevalence of sexual and reproductive tract infections among women in rural Malawi. Sexually transmitted diseases, 43(12), 750. doi: https://0.1097/OLQ.0000000000000531
  9. Felix, T., C., de Araújo, L., B., de Brito Röder, D., V., D., & dos Santos Pedroso, R. (2020). Evaluation of vulvovaginitis and hygiene habits of women attended in primary health care units of the family. International Journal of Women's Health, 12, 49. doi: https://0.2147/IJWH.S229366
  10. Fiscella, K., Franks, P., Kendrick, J., Meldrum, M., Kieke, B. (2002). Risk of preterm birth that is associated with vaginal douching. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 186, 1345–1350. doi: https://10.1067/mob.2002.122406
  11. Guzel, A.,I., Kuyumcuoglu, U., Celik, Y. (2011). Vaginal douching practice and related symptoms in a rural area of Turkey. Arch Gynecol Obstet, 284, 1153–1156. doi: https://10.1007/s00404-010-1805-6
  12. Hadımlı, A., Öztürk Can, H., Soğukpınar, N., Demirel Bozkurt, Ö., Baykal Akmeşe, Z., Çakır Koçak, Y., Sarıcan, E. S., & Karaca Saydam, B. (2012). Do women make vaginal lavage with the aim of genital hygiene?. e-Journal of New World Sciences Academy, 7(3), 16-27.
  13. İlmihal (2014). TC. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı Kütüphanesi. Retrieved from https://kutuphane.diyanet.gov.tr/Files/document/%C4%B0lmihal,%20Diyanet%20Vakf%C4%B1.pdf.
  14. Koştu, N., & Taşçı, K. (2009). Determination of 15-49 year old married women's protecting attitude their reproductive health. Anadolu Hemşirelik ve Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 12(1), 91-97.
  15. Luo, L., Xu, J. J., Wang, G., X., Ding, G., W., Wang, N., & Wang, H., B. (2016). Vaginal douching and association with sexually transmitted infections among female sex workers in a prefecture of Yunnan Province, China. International Journal of STD & AIDS, 27(7), 560-567. doi: https:// 10.1177/0956462415589044
  16. Luong, L., Libman, M., Dahhou, M., Chen, M.F., Kahn, S.R., Goulet, L., Séguin, L., Lydon, J., McNamara, H., Platt, R.,W., Kramer, M.,S. (2010). Vaginal douching, bacterial vaginosis, and spontaneous preterm birth. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 32(4), 313-32. doi: https://10.1016/S1701-2163(16)34474-7
  17. Martino, J.,L., Vermund, S.,H. (2002). Vaginal douching: Evidence for risks or benefits to women's health. Epidemiol Rev., 24(2), 109–124. doi: https://10.1093/epirev/mxf004
  18. Martino, J.,l., Youngpaıroj, S., Vermund, S.,H. (2004). Vaginal douching: personal practices and public policies. Journal of Women’s Health. 13(9), 1048-1065. doi: https://10.1089/jwh.2004.13.1048
  19. McKee, M.,D., Baquero, M., Anderson, M.,R., Alvarez, A., Karasz, A. (2009). Vaginal douching among latinas: practices and meaning. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 13(1), 98-106. doi: https://10.1007/s10995-008-0327-3
  20. National Survey of Family Growth - D Listing (2019). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg/key_statistics/d_2015-2017.htm
  21. Okumuş, F., Demirci, N. (2014). The reality of vaginal douche in Turkey. Florence Nightingale Journal of Nursing, 22(1), 53-62.
  22. Oner, S., Turfan, E.,Ç. (2020). The effect of planned education given to the pregnant women on genital hygiene behaviour and the symptoms of urinary tract ınfection. Van Saglik Bilimleri Dergisi, 13(1), 10-18.
  23. Orak, N.,Ş., Canuygur, A. (2014). Investigation of the genital hygiene behavior of the hospitalized patients in department of gynecology. Balikesir Saglik Bil Derg, 3(3), 130-134. doi: https://10.5505/bsbd.2014.21043
  24. T.R. Ministry of Health Health Women Health Survey, ISBN: 978-975-590-491-7, Ankara.
  25. Sunay, D., Kaya, E., Ergün, Y. (2011). Vaginal douching behavior of women and relationship among vaginal douching and vaginal discharge and demographic factors. Journal of the Turkish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 8(4), 264-71. doi: https://10.5505/tjod.2011.57805
  26. Süt, H. (2016). Investigation of Relationship between Genital Infection and Genital Hygiene Behaviors in Women Aged 18-49 Years. Journal of Duzce University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 6(1), 8-13.
  27. Wan, B., P., & Jacobs, C., K. (2018). Does vaginal douching cause bacterial vaginosis? Evidence-Based Practice, 21(6), 13. doi: 10.1097/01.EBP.0000545159.00070.00
  28. Yaman, H.,E., Aygün, M., Tosun, H. (2016). Traditional genital hygiene practices in Turkey. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 15(2), 214-218.
  29. Yanikkerem, E., Yasayan, A. (2016). Vaginal douching practice: Frequency, associated factors and relationship with vulvovaginal symptoms. J Pak Med Assoc, 66(4), 387-92.
  30. Yıldırım, R., Vural, G., & Koçoğlu, E. (2020). Effect of vaginal douching on vaginal flora and genital infection. Journal of the Turkish German Gynecological Association, 21(1), 29-34. doi: https://10.4274/jtgga.galenos.2019.2018.0133
  31. Esber, A., Rao, N., Norris, A., Reese, P. C., Kandodo, J., Nampandeni, P.,. & Turner, A. N. (2016). Intravaginal practices and prevalence of sexual and reproductive tract infections among women in rural Malawi. Sexually transmitted diseases, 43(12), 750. doi: https://0.1097/OLQ.0000000000000531