TY - JOUR
T1 - Qualitative Analysis of Sexually Experienced Female Adolescents
T2 - Attitudes about Vaginal Health
AU - Francis, Jenny K.R.
AU - Fraiz, Lauren Dapena
AU - Catallozzi, Marina
AU - Rosenthal, Susan L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study received funding from the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases R21-R33AI098654 . The research study from which this study recruited participants was funded by an R01 Grant (grant number 5R01HD067287 ) from the National Institutes of Health , awarded to Susan L. Rosenthal, PhD, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences ( UL1 TR000040 , UL1 TR000457 ). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The authors thank the participants and New-York Presbyterian Ambulatory Care Network for their assistance with recruitment.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
PY - 2016/10/1
Y1 - 2016/10/1
N2 - Study Objective 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.
AB - Study Objective 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.
KW - Attitudes and perceptions
KW - Contraception
KW - Multipurpose technology
KW - Qualitative
KW - Reproductive health
KW - Vaginal health
KW - Vaginal practices
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84995934694&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84995934694&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpag.2016.04.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jpag.2016.04.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 27133374
AN - SCOPUS:84995934694
SN - 1083-3188
VL - 29
SP - 496
EP - 500
JO - Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology
JF - Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology
IS - 5
ER -