Vaginal Hygiene Practices and Perceptions Among Women in the Urban Northeast

Abstract

To inform development of an intervention to decrease vaginal douching among Latinas, we conducted a survey of 335 women aged 16–45 years in primary care offices in the urban Northeast, including many Hispanic women (59.7%). About a third (30.7%) indicated that they had never douched. Of women who had ever douched (n = 235), 51.1% indicated they no longer douche. Women reported using a variety of products for douching and non-douching hygiene, including U.S.-made and imported commercial products as well as traditional products. Compared to Black women, more Hispanic women reported never douching and use of imported products. More positive beliefs about the benefits of douching and its safety were reported by women who currently douche. Health care providers should be aware that women may be using imported and traditional products, the safety of which is unknown. Advice about douching from health care providers may be effective for some women in helping them choose to stop or not initiate the practice.

KEYWORDS:

• vaginal douching
• feminine hygiene
• women's reproductive health
• Latinas
• ethnic minorities

Notes

This project was funded by grant #R03HD048679 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to MDM.

¹Odds ratios are adjusted for age, insurance, and acculturation.

²The reference group is Black women (n = 109).

¹Significance reported for two-sided Fisher's exact test.

²Women who currently douche.

³Respondents asked to report all products used and all reasons for douching.

¹Significance reported for two-sided Fisher's exact test.

¹Chi-square statistics are reported for analysis of aggregate data for total sample.