Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Appropriateness of Empirical Treatment of Trichomoniasis, Bacterial Vaginosis, and Vulvovaginal Candidiasis among Women with Vaginitis
Sung‐Hsi Huang, Heng‐Cheng Hsu, Tai-Fen Lee, Huimin Fan, Chi-Wei Tseng, I–Hui Chen, Hung Shen, Chia‐Yi Lee, Hui-Ting Tai, Hong‐Ming Hsu, Chien‐Ching Hung
Abstract
Vaginal complaints are widespread among women and are associated with emotional, physical, and economic burdens with challenges in their diagnosis and management. In this survey, we identified that 40% of vaginitis in Taiwan was caused by either trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, or a combination of these infections. Our data suggested that typical physical findings appeared infrequently among women with these infections and their empirical treatments were frequently inappropriate. Our findings highlighted the importance of integrating proper diagnostic tools into clinical practice to improve the diagnosis and management of vaginitis, as recommended by national and international guidelines.