The Effect of Genital Hygiene Behaviors on Vulvovaginal Candida in Women with Type 2 Diabetes: A Multicenter Research

• Published in: International journal of caring sciences Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 1303 - 1311
• Main Authors: Toprak, Filiz Unal, Yilmaz, Arzu Akman, Turan, Zekiye, Duman, Nuriye Buyukkayaci, Toker, Eylem, Bucak, Feray Kabalcioglu, Bayraktaroglu, Fatma, Dal, Nursel Alp
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nicosia Professor Despina Sapountzi - Krepia Publisher of the International Journal of Caring Sciences 01-05-2022
• Subjects: Chronic illnesses; Diabetes; Disease prevention; Fungal infections; Gynecology; Health behavior; Hygiene; Outpatient care facilities; Patient education; Questionnaires; Urinary tract diseases; Urinary tract infections; Urogenital system; Vagina; Womens health; Turkey
• ISSN: 1791-5201; 1792-037X

Objective: Genital infections that occur mostly in women are called vulvovaginal candidiasis. The study was conducted to determine the effect of genital hygiene behaviors on vulvovaginal candida in women with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Descriptive relational and the multi-centered study was conducted with 120 patients with type 2 diabetes who applied to the obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinic of a public hospital in seven cities. The data were collected by using a questionnaire and the Genital Hygiene Behaviors Inventory. Frequency, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values, and Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed in the analysis of the data. Results: In the study, 94.2% of women with Type 2 diabetes had various vaginal symptoms, 63.7% of them applied to an obstetrician due to vaginal symptoms and, 54.9% of them were diagnosed and treated for vaginal candidiasis. 36.2% of them did not apply to the obstetrician despite having some symptoms. Women had some wrong behaviors and insufficient information on sexual health and genital hygiene although no difference was found between Genital Hygiene Behaviors Inventory and vulvovaginal candida. However, a significant difference between Genital Hygiene Behaviors and the history of urinary tract (p=0.004) and obstetric surgery or disease history (p=0.013). Conclusions: This study showed that diabetic women need to inform on genital hygiene behaviors as dimensions of diabetes education in order to prevent diabetes complications although no was found difference between genital hygiene behaviors and vulvovaginal candida.