Effectiveness of an educational intervention on awareness ,attitude and readiness for health-related advices towards vulvovaginal discharge among adolescent girls at selected tertiary care hospital.

According to the WHO, 75% of women worldwide have experienced vaginal discharge at least once, while 45% have had it twice. In Indonesia, 90% of women are at risk due to the country’s tropical climate, which allows fungi to grow easily, leading to yeast infections and many cases of vaginal discharge. The CDC reported in 2020 that about 29.2% of women aged 14 to 49 in the United States have bacterial vaginosis, which affects around 21.2 million women. A study by Singamsetty and Sravani (2021) in coastal Andhra Pradesh found bacterial vaginosis to be the most common condition (27-47%), followed by candidiasis (6.25-29.75%) and trichomoniasis (4.3-25%). Common symptoms included vulvar itching (50.61%), curdy discharge (61.25%), painful urination (47.5%), and painful intercourse. City of Padang showed that having more information helps people understand and prevent vaginal discharge. A study by Abdelnaem et al. found that 59.8% of adolescents got information about vaginal discharge from their parents.This highlights the important role parents, especially mothers, play in the reproductive health development of their children. Female students are at a higher risk of making unhealthy choices that can affect their health. Uninformed students can develop wrong or incomplete ideas about lifestyle, physical activity, and fitness. Delay in seeking medical help for abnormal vaginal discharge can lead to serious issues like infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and advanced cervical cancer. People with good personal hygiene knowledge and attitudes are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors. If personal hygiene, especially for the vaginal area, is incorrect, it can make a person more vulnerable to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.

Vulvovaginal discharge is a common symptom in women that can be normal or indicate infection. Causes include physiological changes, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections (candidiasis), trichomoniasis, and other conditions.

A typical study involves examining women with discharge to identify the underlying cause using clinical exams, vaginal pH testing, and microscopic analysis. Results often show bacterial vaginosis as the most frequent cause, followed by candidiasis and trichomoniasis. Some women may have mixed infections.

Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and to prevent complications.

Vulvovaginal discharge is a common clinical complaint with multiple causes, predominantly infections like bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. Accurate diagnosis through clinical evaluation and appropriate laboratory investigations is essential to identify the specific etiology. Timely and targeted treatment based on diagnosis improves patient outcomes and prevents complications. Awareness and early management of vulvovaginal infections can significantly enhance women’s reproductive health and quality of life.