Improving Vulvar Self-examination Performance in a Population at Increased Risk of Vulvar Cancer

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a teaching session and optional reminders improved frequency of performance of vulvar self-examination (VSE) in a population at increased risk of vulvar cancer.

Participants were recruited from Colposcopy and Vulvar Dermatology clinics at a publicly funded academic hospital in Ontario, Canada. Participants completed a questionnaire, were taught how to perform a VSE, and were given an information booklet. They had the option to receive phone or electronic health record reminders to complete a VSE over the course of the next 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, participants were contacted to survey their VSE behaviors. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Two hundred nineteen participants completed the study. Prior to the study, 28 participants (13%) had heard of VSE, while 31 (14%) had never looked at their external genitalia before. At a 6-week follow-up, 181 out of 219 participants (83%) completed a VSE, compared to 16% who regularly performed VSEs prior to the intervention ( p < .001). There was a statistically significant improvement in self-reported ability to find the labia minora, labia majora and urethra after the intervention.

Despite low baseline levels of familiarity with VSE, a simple teaching session, with or without reminders was associated with high performance of VSE in a population at increased risk of vulvar cancer.