Qualitative Analysis of Sexually Experienced Female Adolescents: Attitudes about Vaginal Health

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• 作者：Jenny K.R. Francis ; MD ; MPH¹ ; ² ; ^{jf2815@cumc.columbia.edu" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Lauren Dapena Fraiz ; MA¹ ; Marina Catallozzi ; MD ; MSCE¹ ; ² ; ³ ; Susan L. Rosenthal ; PhD¹ ; ² ; ⁴
• 关键词：Vaginal health ; Reproductive health ; Qualitative ; Attitudes and perceptions ; Vaginal practices ; Contraception ; Multipurpose technology
• 刊名：Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：October 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：29
• 期：5
• 页码：496-500
• 全文大小：140 K

文摘

To explore adolescent's perceptions of vaginal health, practices, and vaginally-placed products.

Design

Semistructured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed until theoretical saturation was achieved.

Setting

Adolescent medicine clinics in New York City.

Participants

Female adolescents (N = 22) who were sexually experienced, predominately Hispanic (73%, n = 16) with a mean age of 17.7 years (range, 15-20 years).

Interventions

None.

Main Outcome Measures

Interviews were used to assess perspectives on vaginal health, specific vaginal hygiene practices, and attitudes about vaginally-placed products (contraceptive rings, intrauterine devices), and proposed multipurpose technologies administered as ring or gel). The interviews were transcribed and coded for relevant themes.

Results

Overlapping themes included young women's view of their vagina as a space that needed to be healthy for sexual partners and future fertility. The vagina could not be presumed to be healthy and conversations about vaginal health were limited to include only specific individuals. All reported a variety of practices to maintain their vaginal health, including showering 1-5 times a day and using soaps specifically for the vagina. Attitudes about vaginally-placed products revealed concerns about the sensory experience of having a product in the vagina, safety concerns and interest in the product's objective (prevention of pregnancy or infection).

Conclusion

Adolescents have very specific views and practices about their vaginas. Clinicians should initiate conversations about vaginal health and hygiene with adolescents and focus on the normalcy of the vagina. Development of vaginally-placed products should focus on the sensory experience, safety, and purpose of the product.