AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightConclusions: it 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.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
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 (GHBI), gynecological examination and Pap smear test. The results were evaluated through descriptive statistical methods (frequency, percentage, average, and standard deviation), one way analysis of variance (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 (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 (34.6%) and burning (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: it 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.