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Biomedical subjects

Barbara Hansen Cottrell

Publications and source records attributed to Barbara Hansen Cottrell.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Maternal bacterial vaginosis and fetal/infant mortality in eight Florida counties, 1999 to 2000.

This study determined the prevalence of maternal bacterial vaginosis (BV) in fetal/infant mortality cases and factors associated with BV. A retrospective descriptive study was utilized. Data were obtained from review of vital statistics and medical records of 176 women experiencing fetal/infant deaths in eight Florida counties, 1999 to 2000. Non-White mothers accounted for 68.96% of deaths (chi square = 10.119, df = 4, p = 0.038), although the population of the eight counties was 64% White. Of 121 non-White mothers (68.8%) with infections, 37 (30.6%) had BV. Most fetal/infant deaths (39.7%) occurred 20-23 weeks' gestation and at birthweights <500 g, as did most cases of BV (46%). Women with BV were more likely to be non-White (OR 2.756, 95% CI 1.075, 7.066), single (OR 2.090, 95% CI 1.081, 7.246), <24 years old (t = 3.172, p = 0.002), and have <12 years of education (t = 2.56, p = 0.011). Findings support early screening and treatment for BV in women with these risk factors or a history of prior fetal/infant loss or preterm/low-birthweight infant. Factors contributing to racial disparity in BV and fetal/infant mortality need further exploration.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vaginal douching practices of women in eight Florida panhandle counties.

OBJECTIVE: To document knowledge, beliefs, douching practices, prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, and preterm births in women who douche. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional nonexperimental design. SETTING: Six private midwifery/nurse practitioner offices and eight county health departments in the Florida panhandle. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred eighty-three English- or Spanish-speaking women aged 14 to 45 years. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaire about douching; medical record review. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of douching, history of preterm labor, preterm births, and prevalence of bacterial vaginosis. RESULTS: Of 483 women, 76% had douched, 43% douched at least once per month, and 36% were unaware they should not douche. As determined by odds ratio, women who douched monthly were 2.5 times more likely to have a history of bacterial vaginosis than women who did not douche (p < .001), and women who douched weekly were 2.75 times more likely to have bacterial vaginosis (p = .004). Of 409 clients with medical records available, 32 had preterm births of which 69% had a history of bacterial vaginosis (x2 = 4.5, df = 1, p = .034). Among women with preterm births who douched regularly prior to pregnancy (n = 14), 87% had a history of bacterial vaginosis (x2 = 7.14, df = 1, p = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Associations of douching with bacterial vaginosis and bacterial vaginosis with preterm labor were significant. Health care professionals should initiate discussions to discourage douching.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vaginal douching.

OBJECTIVE: To review current literature on vaginal douching. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases from 1997 to 2001, using keywords douche or douching; 2001 Web sites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Internet search engines for information about current retail sales of douches. STUDY SELECTION: MEDUNE included 67 records, CINAHL 18, and Cochrane 2. Abstracts of articles in English were reviewed, and those pertaining to vaginal douching practices were included. MEDLINE had 44 pertinent articles, CINAHL 11, and Cochrane 1. References from these articles were reviewed and included when appropriate. DATA EXTRACTION: Articles were reviewed and summarized. DATA SYNTHESIS: Vaginal douching is a common practice for women in the United States. Douching is associated with adverse reproductive and gynecologic outcomes including bacterial vaginosis, preterm birth, low-birth-weight infants, pelvic inflammatory disease, chlamydial infection, tubal pregnancy, higher rates of HIV transmission, and cervical cancer. Cultural beliefs and educational factors strongly influence douching practices. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing assessment of women should include information on vaginal douching practices and beliefs. Nurses should use culturally appropriate educational strategies to discourage women of all ages from using vaginal douches as part of routine feminine hygiene because of the associated risks. Further research is needed on factors that influence women's beliefs and douching practices.

Attitude to Health↗