The genital hygiene behavior of married women in their reproductive ages registered to two different health care center

Abstract

AIM: This study aimed to determine genital hygiene behavior of married women between the ages of 15 and 49, who are registered to two different Health Care Centers (HCC) in Kınıklı and Sevindik areas, which are central towns of Denizli and have different socioeconomic status, and to reveal the variables related to this behavior. METHODS: This study cross-sectional study is conducted in HCCs within the Kınıklı (higher socioeconomic status) and Sevindik (lower socioeconomic status) which have different socioeconomic status in Denizli city center. A total of 600 women, 300 from per each HCC area participated to the study. Genital Hygiene Behaviors Inventory (GHBI) and a questionnaire which contains socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics were administered to the participants. Study data were collected between September-November in 2012. The dependent variable of the study was genital hygiene behaviors, and the independent variable of the study was sociodemographic characteristics of women. Data was evaluated by descriptive statistics, chi-square test was used to determine the statistical differences between categorical variables, Mann-Whitney U or Kruskall-Wallis test was used to compare GHBI scores, logistic regression analyses was used in multiple analyses. RESULTS: The GHDE scores of women who lives in Kınıklı were higher than women who lives in Sevindik (p<0.001). In Kınıklı, GHBI scores of women who are highly educated, young and whose husbands work were determined quite higher; while scores of women who live in houses that belongs to their relatives were lower (p<0.05). In Sevindik, the GHBI scores of women who are highly educated, young, civil servant and have a good income and live in nuclear family were determined quite higher (p<0.05). As the result of regression analysis, it was found that the effect of living in two different socioeconomic status was higher on GHBI scores than other factors (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic level of residence is associated with women’s genital hygiene behaviors. It can be suggested that women living in low socioeconomic level to be handled carefully in the protection program from genital infections. © 2015,Gulhane Military Medical Academy. All rights reserved.