Characterization of frequent douchers attending a community clinic primarily serving African-American women.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to characterize African-American women attending a community clinic who report frequent douching (douching > or = 2 times per week).


METHODS
A consecutive sample of 115 black women attending a community clinic were interviewed face-to-face about their douching practices. Logistic regression was used to control for age and compute odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.


RESULTS
Of the 115 women interviewed, 93% (107) had douched sometime during their lifetime; 16% (18) reported douching > or = 2 times per week. Frequent douchers compared with women who douche < 2 times per month were more likely to report douching after sex [89% (n=16) vs. 49% (n=32), odds ratio (OR): 5.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 26.2] or after discharge [89% (n=1 6) vs. 58% (n=38), OR: 8.11, 95% CI: 1.64, 40.1], and self-report a history of gonorrhea [28% (n=5) vs. 8% (n=5), OR: 4.87, 95% CI: 1.07, 22.2].


CONCLUSIONS
Further research should be done to understand the use of douching as an STD/HIV prevention method and the association between sexual risk behaviors and douching practices.
Smith
Lisa V
LV
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Sexually Transmitted Disease Program, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA.
Rudy
Ellen T
ET
Ivie
Sylvia D
SD
Lee
Donzella
D
Visscher
Barbara
B
Kerndt
Peter
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D015141:Los Angeles; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044364:Vaginal Douching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*