Victimization in patients with vulvar dysesthesia/vestibulodynia. Is there an increased prevalence?
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence of physical or sexual violence victimization among women referred to a specialty clinic for management of vulvar dysesthesia/vestibulodynia as compared to a healthy gynecology clinic population.


METHODS
The subjects in this case-control study were women who had completed routine questionnaires prior to presentation to the University of Michigan Center for Vulvar Diseases. Study subjects were all given a diagnosis of vulvar dysesthesia/vestibulodynia. Women without complaints of vulvar pain presenting to a gynecology clinic were enrolled as controls. Information was obtained from the control subjects using a questionnaire similar to the history forms completed by the study group.


RESULTS
Comparisons were made between 242 patients with vulvar dysesthesia/vestibulodynia presenting to a specialty clinic and 113 controls. Cases were more likely to be Caucasian, to be married and to have a higher household income than controls but reported less drug or alcohol abuse and a lower frequency of sexual intercourse. After controlling for possible confounders, no relationship between sexual assault and the presence of vulvar dysesthesia/vestibulitis was found.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of victimization was not higher in patients with vulvar dysesthesia/vestibulodynia as compared to the control population after controlling for potential confounding variables.
Dalton
Vanessa K
VK
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. daltonvk@med.umich.edu
Haefner
Hope K
HK
Reed
Barbara D
BD
Senapati
Sangeeta
S
Cook
Ann
A
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010298:Parity; D015995:Prevalence; D011902:Rape / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D015983:Selection Bias; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data