Women's health care in Operation Iraqi Freedom: a survey of camps with echelon I or II facilities.
OBJECTIVE
To assess women's perceptions of health care delivery in Operation Iraqi Freedom.


METHODS
An anonymous questionnaire was distributed through command channels to female soldiers stationed in camps receiving echelon I or II care. Questions covered predeployment screening, contraceptive method availability and side effects, accessibility of gynecologic care, field hygiene counseling, and smoking status.


RESULTS
Two hundred fifty-one (91%) of 275 surveys were returned. Twenty-two percent of respondents had received no annual gynecologic examination including the Papanicolaou test/cervical cytologic study in the past year. Irregular bleeding was the most common gynecologic side effect. Ortho Evra patches fell off in 58% of cases; 23% of soldiers changed contraceptive methods because of unavailability, 21% experienced gynecologic problems, and 44% could not access gynecologic care. Twenty-six percent received predeployment menstrual hygiene counseling, and 77% attempting cycle control succeeded.


CONCLUSIONS
Gynecologic screening, contraceptive options, and cycle control counseling must occur before deployments. Specialty gynecologic care and medications for cycle control should be readily accessible to all female soldiers during deployments.
Thomson
Brook Allen
BA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA.
Nielsen
Peter Edward
PE
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014857:Warfare; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000600:supply & distribution
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female