Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing (가정간호학회지)

Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing (한국가정간호학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Feminine Hygiene Behaviors and Risk Factors for Bacterial Vaginosis in Female University Students

가임기 여대생의 생식기 관련 개인위생과 세균성 질염 발생의 위험요인

  • Received : 2018.03.15
  • Accepted : 2018.04.17
  • Published : 2018.04.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the condition of feminine hygiene behaviors to identify factors predicting bacterial vaginosis infection. Methods: A self-reporting survey was conducted with 385 female university students in Korea through a descriptive survey. Data were collected on demographics, feminine hygiene behaviors, and bacterial vaginosis infection. Results: The bacterial vaginosis infection rate was 37.9%. Factors predicting bacterial vaginosis infection were grade, age of menarche, history of sexual intercourse, history of sexually transmitted infection, experience of using a bidet, internal douche during menses, over the counter drug anti-itch products, tampons, and tampons/pads combination. Conclusion: To prevent bacterial vaginosis infection among female university students, information and education should be provided to promote positive feminine hygiene behaviors at the university and at home. Results of this study are essential to improve education and practices that will prevent bacterial vaginosis in female university students.

Keywords

References

  1. Ahn SH, Cho KM. Personal hygiene practices related to genito-urinary tract and menstrual hygiene management in female adolescents. Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing. 2014;20(3):215-224. http://dx.doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2014.20.3.215.
  2. Czerwinski BS. Variation in feminine hygiene practices as a function of age. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing. 2000;29(6):625-633. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2000.tb02076.x
  3. Ahn SH. Feminine hygiene and vaginal douche practices in middle-aged women. Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing. 2013;19(4):285-294. http://dx.doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2013.19.4.285.
  4. Schwebke JR, Desmond RA, Oh MK. Predictors of bacterial vaginosis in adolescent women who douche. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2004;31(7):433-436. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.OLQ.0000129948.91055.9F
  5. Klebanoff MA, Nansel TR, Brotman RM, Zhang J, Yu KF, Schwebke JR, et al. Personal hygienic behaviors and bacterial vaginosis. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2010;37(2):94-99. http://dx.doi.org/OLQ.0b013e3181bc063c. https://doi.org/10.1097/OLQ.0b013e3181bc063c
  6. Hill GB. The microbiology of bacterial vaginosis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1993;169(2 Pt 2):450-454. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(93)90339-K
  7. Nyirjesy P. Vulvovaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;22(4):637-652. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2008.05.002.
  8. Kenyon C, Colebunders R, Crucitti, T. The global epidemiology of bacterial vaginosis: a systematic review. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2013;209(6):505-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2013.05.006.
  9. Sumpter C, Torondel B. A systematic review of the health and social effects of menstrual hygiene management. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(4):e62004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062004.
  10. Sevil S, Kevser O, Aleattin U, Dilek A, Tijen N. An evaluation of the relationship between genital hygiene practices, genital infection. Gynecology & Obstetrics. 2013;3(6):1-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2161-0932.1000187.
  11. Hutchinson KB, Kip KE, Ness RB; Gynecologic Infection Follow-Through(GIFT) Investigators. Vaginal douching and development of bacterial vaginosis among women with normal and abnormal vaginal microflora. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2007;34(9):671-675. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.olq.0000258435.34879.da
  12. Low N, Broutet N, Adu-Sarkodie Y, Barton P, Hossain M, Hawkes S. Global control of sexually transmitted infections. Lancet. 2006;368(9551):2001-2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69482-8
  13. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Survey on the use of feminine hygiene products and provides safety information [Internet]. Seoul: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; 2017[cited 2018 January 16]. Available from: http://www.mfds.go.kr/index.do?x=37&searchkey=title:contents&mid=675&searchword=%BB%FD%B8%AE&y=9&division=&pageNo=1&seq=37330&sitecode=1&cmd=v.
  14. Se JH, Na SY, Kim MG. A study on the VOCs emission rate from sanitary pad in market. Poster session presented at: The spring conference of the Korean Society of Analytical Sciences ; 2017 May; Gangwon.
  15. Ameade EP, Garti HA. Relationship between female university students' knowledge on menstruation and their menstrual hygiene practices: A study in Tamale, Ghana. Advances in Preventive Medicine. 2016;2016:1056235. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1155/2016/1056235.
  16. Faul F, Erdfelder E, Lang AG, Buchner A. G*Power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior research methods. 2007;39(2):175-191. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193146
  17. Cottrell BH. Vaginal douching practices of women in eight Florida panhandle counties. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecological, & Neonatal Nursing. 2006;35(1):24-33. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00003.x
  18. Anand E, Singh J, Unisa S. Menstrual hygiene practices and its association with reproductive tract infections and abnormal vaginal discharge among women in India. Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. 2015;6(4):249-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc. 2015.06.001.
  19. Bilardi JE, Walker SM, Temple-Smith MJ, McNair RP, Mooney-Somers J, Vodstrcil LA, et al. Women view key sexual behaviors as the trigger for the onset and recurrence of bacterial vaginosis. PLoS One. 2017;12(3):e0173637. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173637.
  20. Ogino M, Iino K, Minoura S. Habitual use of warm-water cleaning toilets is related to the aggravation of vaginal microflora. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research. 2010;36(5):1071-1074. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0756.2010.01286.x
  21. Cottrell BH, Close FT. Vaginal douching among university women in the southeastern United States. Journal of American College Health. 2008;56(4):415-421. https://doi.org/10.3200/JACH.56.44.415-422

Cited by

  1. Female university students’ menstrual-hygiene management and factors associated with genitourinary-tract infections in Korea vol.60, pp.5, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2019.1680482