title: [Gynecologic examination: perceptions, fears and expectations of polyclinic patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  What kind of expectations, desires and fears do patients have concerning the pelvic examination, and is it possible to improve the procedure?
  
  
  METHODS
  We asked 1,061 women of our gynecological outpatient clinic using a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  48% said that the pelvic examination caused no problem at all, while nearly every third patient felt tense and uncomfortable. 75% of the women wanted explanations during the examination, which had to be carried out in the absence of a third person in 46%. The same percentage said that it did not matter. 53% had no preference of gender concerning the examiner, 37% preferred a female doctor and 10% gave preference to a male one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pelvic examination, which is mainly associated with reluctance and discomfort of the patient, does not seem to be experienced like this by almost half of our patients. It is easily possible to ameliorate the procedure, for example by explaining the findings during the examination and by complying with the gender preferences of the patients as much as possible.
authors.affiliation: Departement für Frauenheilkunde, Universitätsspital Zürich, Schweiz.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vondruska-Benkert
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buddeberg
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Haller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D005836:Genitalia, Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013557:Switzerland
vernacular_title: Die gynäkologische Untersuchung: Empfindungen, Befürchtungen und Erwartungen von Poliklinikpatientiennen.