Douching practices among women in the Bolgatanga municipality of the upper east region of Ghana

Abstract

BackgroundVaginal douching is a common practice among women all over the world. Women douche for various reasons, despite evidence indicating the harmful health effects of the practice. There is lack of data on the practice in Ghana but health behaviors like vaginal douching may be influenced by differences in culture and geography. Therefore, this study sought to assess prevalence and predictors of vaginal douching practices among women of the Bolgatanga Municipality of Ghana.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 women from January to March 2016.ResultsSixty-seven percent of the women practiced vaginal douching, from which a similar proportion did it daily. Over two-thirds (67.7%) of the women used water for douching. The reasons for douching were cleansing the vagina (67.7%), therapeutic effects (12.8%) and tightening of the vaginal muscles (19.5%). The majority (87.2%) of women who douched were unaware of the harmful health effects associated with the practice. The educational level of the women (p = 0.025) and having knowledge of the dangers associated with douching (p < 0.001) were then significantly associated with douching practices.ConclusionVaginal douching is commonly practiced by women in the Bolgatanga Municipality. Most of these women douche because they did not know that there are health problems associated with the practice. Health education on the issues of women health is very vital for the improvement of women’s health.

Vaginal douching and health risks among young women

“…Interestingly, a previous study conducted in 2019 in the Northern part of Ghana reported a slightly lower prevalence of douching (66.5%) compared to the current study's findings 15 . This suggests that douching practices may vary among different regions or populations within Ghana.…”

“…A representative sample of women within the community was selected using a random sampling technique to ensure the generalizability of the findings. Using a prevalence of 67.7% 15 …”

Vajinal duşun Pap-smear üzerine etkisi

“…In our study, 33 (31.4%) of the women included in our study stated to have vaginal douche after sexual intercourse, 10 women (9.5%) at the end of menstrual bleeding, 47 women (44.8%) at every bath, 15 women (14.3%) every time when they make their toilet. A relevant study shows that 60% of the women having vaginal douche stated to have vaginal douche to feel clean and hygienic themselves [22]. Another relevant study base on the reasons for women's having vaginal douche on two conceptual models.…”

“…72 (68.6%) of the women included in our study stated to use only water during vaginal douching, 18 (17.1%) women water and soap, 15 women shower gel. The relevant studies show that the most widely used product for vaginal douching is water [7,22,24]. In addition to water, a great variety of materials existing from the thought of making oneself feel good, ranging from commercial materials to natural and herbal ones, are used.…”

Consideration of Cultural Practices When Characterizing the Vaginal Microbiota Among African and African American Women

“…For many women, vaginal cleanliness is associated with a sense of well-being and protection from sexually transmitted infections. In Ghana (Ziba et al, 2019), women reported douching with lemon juice, antiseptics, and vinegar for the purposes of cleanliness.…”