 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Lucy Annang, MPH, Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 227 Ryals Public Health Building, 1665 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, 205/975-5467, lannang@uab.edu, Diane M. Grimley, PhD, Department of Health Behavior, Schools of Public Health and Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1665 University Blvd. Ryals 227, School of Public Health, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, and Jessica L. Muilenburg, MPH, Department of Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, 105 Norridge Place, Pelham, AL 35124.
The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of douching behavior among African American women attending an urban Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) clinic in the South. This research is part of an ongoing study measuring the effects of a computerized tailored interactive intervention on condom use and obtaining treatment for STDs. Of 665 African American women participating in the study, 80.0% (n=532) reported ever douching in their lifetime. Among these, 58.6% (n=312) identified themselves as current douchers. Current douching status was associated with having a main partner (odds ratio [OR]=1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-5.4) and engaging in one-night stands in the past month (OR=0.4; 95% CI, 1.0-2.4). Ever douching status was associated with not being married (OR=1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-14.5) and older age (OR=0.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.5). Never douching status was associated with younger age (OR=-0.8; 95% CI, 0.3-0.7) and not having a main partner (OR=-1.42; 95% CI, 0.1-0.5). Contrary to previous studies, no significant associations were found between douching status and number of lifetime sexual partners, number of sexual partners in the last year, drug or alcohol use before sex, condom use at last intercourse, or self-reported STD history. Douching is common among this high-risk population of African American women. Increased frequency of one-night stands was a significant predictor of current douching behavior. Future studies should attempt to intervene on sexual risk and douching behaviors as they can collectively pose potentially serious health consequences for women.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Women's Health, Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.