Why do women douche? Results from a qualitative study

To explore women's attitudes and practices related to douching.

We conducted focus groups between July and December 1999 with 34 black and 27 white women enrolled in a managed care plan in Memphis, Tennessee. Participants were at least 18 years of age and had douched at some time in their lives. Five groups were held with black women and five with white women.

The focus groups identified 13 themes that fell in four broad categories: general perceptions about feminine hygiene, douching behavior, factors perpetuating douching, and health information. Each of these categories is briefly discussed with supporting evidence.

First, women have deeply-rooted beliefs about the critical role of douching in making them feel clean. Second, douching generally starts at a young age and is reinforced by family, friends, and the media. Third, douching is a very difficult behavior to change; any efforts to influence this behavior must consider women's beliefs and the media marketing efforts that promote douching. Finally, simplistic interventions that only provide risk information about douching are not likely to result in behavior change.