A Study on role of socio demographic status of women in excessive vaginal discharge at teaching hospital

Abstract

Introduction: The complaint of excessive vaginal discharge is very common in women attending the gynecology out-patient department. It is associated with considerable emotional stress, health seeking associated cost and has a substantial impact on female health and behavior. Objective: To find out socio-demographic variables associated with the complaint of vaginal discharge wherein no biomedical cause of leucorrhoea can be detected. Socio-cultural perspectives have an exaggerative effect on the normal vaginal discharge and in absence of pathological diagnosis, they create fear and anxiety in couples. The problem of vaginal discharge can be best understood not only in the biomedical perspective but also in the socio cultural perspective. Materials and Methods: This is a hospital based study, conducted in out-patient department of obstetrics and gynecology department, AIIMS, Udaipur (Raj). Women with complaint of vaginal discharge without any evident pathological or infectious causes were counted in the study. The women with vaginal discharge which is non-infected, non-blood stained, non-purulent, without pruritus vulvae were interviewed with a pretested questionnaire. Socio-demographic details, personal and menstrual hygiene, obstetric history and contraceptive practices were noted and tabulated. Conclusion: To mitigate the problem of vaginal discharge, socio-demographic status of women should be taken in consideration. Improvement of literacy rate, economic status and women’s empowerment are the key areas of interventions. Proper understanding of this problem helps in initiating appropriate medical education programs and framing health policies. Keywords: Excessive vaginal discharge, Socio-demographics, Somatic symptoms, Leucorrhoea, Pruritus tubectomy.