Genital Hygiene Behavior and its Relationship with Vaginitis

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the relationship between genital hygiene behavior and the emergence of vaginitis,
especially in female motorcycle taxi drivers at Jakarta area
Patients and methods: Subjects are 50 female motorcycle taxi drivers in Jakarta area who met inclusion/ exclusion
criteria. A questionnaire of genital hygiene behavior inventory (GHBI) was used to obtain the genital hygiene
behavior among subjects. Vaginal examination and microbiological swab from vaginal discharge were then
performed as diagnostic for any type of vaginitis. Data collected were then analyzed using SPSS application for
univariate and bivariate analysis to show subjects’ characteristics and to look for relationships between variables.
Results: 62% of respondents are over 40 years old and most of them work more than 8 hours per day. Vaginitis
was found in 42% of drivers divided into 21 subjects with bacterial vaginosis (42%) and 8 subjects with vaginal
candidiasis (16%). There are more subjects with poor knowledge of general genital hygiene, menstrual hygiene
management, and self-awareness of abnormal genital symptoms, but no statistically significant difference in the
incidence of vaginitis and the total GHBI score (p>0,05). This study found a relationship between age and the
incidence of vaginitis in female motorcycle taxi drivers in Jakarta area.
Conclusion: There is no relationship between the GHBI score, duration of work, length of working experience,
access to clean toilet and the incidence of vaginitis. There is a significant relationship between age and the incidence
of vaginitis in female motorcycle taxi drivers.