Levels and Determinants of Gynecological Morbidity in a District of South India

This article presents the results of an assessment of gynecological morbidity among 385 women with young children residing in a district of Karnataka State, South India. All three main modes of assessment (clinical examination, laboratory tests, and self-reports) reveal a high burden of reproductive...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in family planning 1997-06, Vol.28 (2), p.95-103
Main Authors: Bhatia, Jagdish C., Cleland, John, Bhagavan, Leela, Rao, N. S. N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anemia
Body mass index
Comorbidity
Confidence Intervals
Determinants
Dysmenorrhea
Energy deficiencies
Female
Female genitalia
Genital Diseases, Female - epidemiology
Gynaecology
Gynecological pathology
Gynecology
Health aspects
Humans
India - epidemiology
Infections
Karnataka
Levels
Logistic Models
Menstruation Disturbances - epidemiology
Morbidity
Mothers - statistics & numerical data
Nutrition Disorders - epidemiology
Pathology, Gynecological
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - epidemiology
Population
Prevalence
Prospective Studies
Reproductive History
Reproductive organs, Female
Reproductive system
Reproductive tract infections
Risk Factors
Sexually transmitted diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology
Urban Health
Uterine Cervicitis - epidemiology
Uterine Cervicitis - microbiology
Vaginitis
Vaginitis - epidemiology
Vaginitis - microbiology
Women
Women's Health
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Summary:This article presents the results of an assessment of gynecological morbidity among 385 women with young children residing in a district of Karnataka State, South India. All three main modes of assessment (clinical examination, laboratory tests, and self-reports) reveal a high burden of reproductive tract infections. The two most common conditions, identified by laboratory tests, were bacterial vaginosis and mucopurulent cervicitis. Approximately one-fourth of the women had clinical evidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical ectopy, and fistula. The contribution of sexually transmitted diseases to overall gynecological morbidity appears to be relatively modest; 10 percent were so diagnosed. Associated conditions of anemia and chronic energy deficiency were common. Severe anemia was found in 17 percent of cases and severe chronic energy deficiency in 12 percent. These results indicate that radical improvements in women's health in India will require far more than the diagnosis and treatment of reproductive tract infections.
ISSN:0039-3665
1728-4465
DOI:10.2307/2138112