Vaginal Health: Insights, Views & Attitudes (VIVA-LATAM): results from a survey in Latin America

• Published in: Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 397 - 403
• Main Authors: Nappi, R. E., de Melo, N. R., Martino, M., Celis-González, C., Villaseca, P., Röhrich, S., Palacios, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 01.08.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Atrophy; Attitude; Dyspareunia - drug therapy; Dyspareunia - physiopathology; Estrogen Replacement Therapy - methods; Estrogens - therapeutic use; Female; genitourinary syndrome of menopause; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hormone replacement therapy; Humans; Latin America - epidemiology; Latin American women; local estrogen therapy; Menopause; Middle Aged; Postmenopause; Reproductive health; survey; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vagina - pathology; vaginal atrophy; Vaginal Diseases - epidemiology; Vaginal Diseases - therapy; vaginal health; Women's Health; Womens health; Latin America; local estrogen therapy; menopause; Attitude; survey; vaginal atrophy; genitourinary syndrome of menopause; Latin American women; vaginal health
• ISSN: 1369-7137; 1473-0804
• DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2018.1461826

Objective: To investigate awareness in Latin America, knowledge of postmenopausal vaginal atrophy was evaluated in a sample of women from this region. Methods: A total of 2509 postmenopausal women aged 55-65 years, resident in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, completed a structured online questionnaire. Results: Over half the surveyed population (57%) reported experiencing symptoms of vaginal atrophy. Only 6% of the overall cohort attributed symptoms of vaginal atrophy directly to the condition, and 71% did not consider the condition to be chronic, resulting in many women not accessing effective therapy. Half the women (49%) affected by vaginal atrophy had used lubricating gels and creams; 36% had used some form of local hormone treatment. To understand symptoms and/or treatment options for vaginal discomfort, the majority of survey participants (92%) were willing to seek advice from health-care professionals; most (61%) felt/would feel comfortable talking to their doctor about this. Conclusion: Many women in Latin America lack knowledge of postmenopausal vaginal atrophy, not appreciating the chronic nature of the condition, and may benefit from dialog initiated by health-care professionals to facilitate greater understanding and increased awareness of the availability of effective treatment.