Douching practices among women at high risk of HIV infection in the United States: implications for microbicide testing and use.
BACKGROUND
Douching may interfere with determination of microbicide safety and effectiveness. This practice has not been adequately studied among women at risk of HIV infection.


OBJECTIVE
This study assessed douching practices among women at risk of HIV infection in the United States.


METHODS
Data were collected on douching practices, sexually transmitted diseases, birth control, use of spermicidal products, and sexual risk behaviors among HIV antibody-negative women.


RESULTS
Of 623 women, 70.2% had recently douched. Most women had been told that douching was not healthy. No associations were found between recent douching and measures of risk behaviors, except number of male partners. Recent douching was associated with being aged 26 to 30 years, compared with being 18 to 25 years of age (odds ratio [OR] = 2.2), black (OR = 3.0), or sterilized (OR = 2.0); having 5 or more male partners (OR = 4.4); and being told that douching is unhealthy (OR = 0.4).


CONCLUSIONS
Recent douching was very common. The high prevalence of douching has implications for the design of microbicide trials and prevention interventions.
Koblin
Beryl A
BA
Laboratory of Epidemiology, New York Blood Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. bkoblin@nybc.org
Mayer
Kenneth
K
Mwatha
Anthony
A
Brown-Peterside
Pamela
P
Holt
Renee
R
Marmor
Michael
M
Smith
Carrol
C
Chiasson
Mary Ann
MA
D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017137:Nonoxynol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States
D013089:Spermatocidal Agents; D017137:Nonoxynol