Receipt of routine gynecological examinations among sexually active female college students in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
According to leading medical organizations, it is recommended that all sexually active adolescent females, as well as any woman aged >or=18 years, obtain annual gynecological examinations. This study looked at whether female college students who were sexually active, defined as ever having vaginal intercourse and having one or more sex partner(s) in the past year, received a routine gynecological examination in the past year and whether differences existed in receipt of the examination based on students' age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, health insurance status, cigarette smoking (past 30 days), number of sex partners (past year), and gender of sex partners (past year).


METHODS
A secondary analysis was conducted with data from the spring 2006 National College Health Assessment. A total of 25,389 sexually active female college students (aged 18-24 years) were included in the analyses. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships of variables with receipt of a routine gynecological examination (past year).


RESULTS
The majority (75.6%) of sexually active female college students had a routine gynecological examination in the past year. However, students who were younger (aged 18-20 years), Asian or Hispanic, lesbian, only had sex with women (past year), or did not have health insurance were significantly less likely to have had a routine gynecological examination in the past year.


CONCLUSIONS
To allow for appropriate intervention, additional research should investigate why different subgroups of sexually active female college students do not obtain routine gynecological examinations. In addition, efforts should be made to link college women who do not have health insurance with no cost or low-cost gynecological services.
Lindley
Lisa L
LL
Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. llindley@mailbox.sc.edu
Brandt
Heather M
HM
Annang
Lucy
L
Barnett
Corrie L
CL
Hardin
James W
JW
Burcin
Michelle
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult