| Title |
Vaginal health and hygiene practices and product use in Canada: a national cross-sectional survey
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
BMC Women's Health, March 2018
|
| DOI | 10.1186/s12905-018-0543-y |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Sara E. Crann, Shannon Cunningham, Arianne Albert, Deborah M. Money, Kieran C. O’Doherty |
| Abstract |
The vaginal microbiome influences quality of life and health. The composition of vaginal microbiota can be affected by various health behaviors, such as vaginal douching. The purpose of this study was to examine the types and prevalence of diverse vaginal/genital health and hygiene behaviors among participants living in Canada and to examine associations between behavioral practices and adverse gynecological health conditions. An anonymous online survey, available in English and French, was distributed across Canada. The sample consisted of 1435 respondents, 18 years or older, living in Canada. Respondents reported engaging in diverse vaginal/genital health and hygiene behavioral practices, including the use of commercially manufactured products and homemade and naturopathic products and practices. Over 95% of respondents reported using at least one product in or around the vaginal area. Common products and practices included vaginal/genital moisturizers, anti-itch creams, feminine wipes, washes, suppositories, sprays, powders, and waxing and shaving pubic hair. The majority of the sample (80%) reported experiencing one or more adverse vaginal/genital symptom in their lifetime. Participants who had used any vaginal/genital product(s) had approximately three times higher odds of reporting an adverse health condition. Several notable associations between specific vaginal/genital health and hygiene products and adverse health conditions were identified. This study is the first of its kind to identify the range and prevalence of vaginal/genital health and hygiene behaviors in Canada. Despite a lack of credible information about the impact of these behaviors on women's health, the use of commercially manufactured and homemade products for vaginal/genital health and hygiene is common. Future research can extend the current exploratory study by identifying causal relationships between vaginal/genital health and hygiene behaviors and changes to the vaginal microbiome. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 15 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 3 | 20% |
| Dominican Republic | 2 | 13% |
| Spain | 1 | 7% |
| Canada | 1 | 7% |
| Unknown | 8 | 53% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 13 | 87% |
| Scientists | 2 | 13% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 168 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 168 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Bachelor | 27 | 16% |
| Student > Master | 16 | 10% |
| Researcher | 13 | 8% |
| Other | 9 | 5% |
| Lecturer | 9 | 5% |
| Other | 21 | 13% |
| Unknown | 73 | 43% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 29 | 17% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 24 | 14% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 9 | 5% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 6 | 4% |
| Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 5 | 3% |
| Other | 21 | 13% |
| Unknown | 74 | 44% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 342. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 14 March 2024.
All research outputs
#96,269
of 25,501,527 outputs
Outputs from BMC Women's Health
#7
of 2,321 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#2,397
of 346,891 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Women's Health
#1
of 21 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,501,527 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 2,321 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 11.2. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 21 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries.