Gynaecological state of health of 2 654 women in Nurmes 1970-71. A clinical outpatient study.

Abstract

The present report describes a gynaecological open care study intended to determine the incidence of gynaecological diseases in the 15–60 year old population of Nurmes and shed light on the effects on gynaecological morbidity of age, parity, certain habits in sexual behavior, socioeconomic situation and previous care. The series comprised 2 654 women who agreed to undergo an examination, i.e. 72.8% of the women 15–60 years of age listed in the census and 80.9% of those in the locality during the study period. The research methods used were: a written anamnesis, personal interview, gynaecological Pap test, clinical gynaecological examination, laboratory tests, histological tests and, when necessary, tests in a central hospital. The final result of the study on gynaecological state of health was the division of the subjects into the following four groups: (1) gynaecologically healthy, (2) subjectively gynaecologically ailing, (3) gynaecologically ill, and (4) asymptomatic persons suffering from gynaecological diseases. Gynaecological morbidity was also measured by the number of those in need of gynaecological treatment. These figures were compared with the number of those who, at some time in their life, had suffered from a gynaecological illness. Of the population studied, 21% were found gynaecologically healthy, 13% were subjectively gynaecologically ailing, 48% were ill and 18% were asymptomatic persons suffering from gynaecological diseases. Of the factors studied, those with the most profound effect on gynaecological morbidity were age and parity. In the younger age groups, up to 25, there were significantly more gynaecologically healthy than gynaecologically ill, after which age the number of those suffering from diseases exceeded the number of healthy subjects. Parous subjects had significantly more gynaecological diseases than nulliparous subjects. The number of births was not related to the total number of gynaecological diseases. Sexual relations increased gynaecological morbidity, though to a lesser degree than parity. Gynaecological morbidity in the different social classes was uniform. Those in the highest income classes accounted, relatively, for the largest number of cured gynaecological diseases.