Treatment of vaginal candidosis--a UK patient survey 1989

Female patients attending their general practitioner for any reason were asked to complete a questionnaire while waiting for their appointment, and return it to the receptionist before departing. The questionnaire included questions about the sex of the doctor with whom they were registered and whether they had any preference for the sex of doctor if attending with either a gynaecological or nongynaecological complaint. They were asked whether they were examined when attending with suspected vaginal infection, and whether they expected to be examined. Methods of contraception were established and a comparison was possible between the group of patients previously suffering candidosis and those who had never suffered from the complaint. Candidosis patients were asked about treatments received for vulvovaginal candidosis and their preferences for treatment type and length of course. The group of non-sufferers were also asked for their choices if they were ever to suffer from an attack of vulvovaginal candidosis in the future. From 1,167 questionnaires returned for analysis, it was found that 519 patients (44%) had previously suffered from vulvovaginal candidosis. The results show that the majority of candidosis patients would prefer oral therapy for one day, while noncandidosis patients showed a preference for a seven-day course of oral therapy. To select treatments that are acceptable to patients will surely improve compliance, increase chances of cure and hence promote patient satisfaction.