The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences Advance Access originally published online on February 9, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 2009 64B(Supplement 1):i106-i118; doi:10.1093/geronb/gbn021
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Vaginal Self-Swab Specimen Collection in a Home-Based Survey of Older Women: Methods and Applications
1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Illinois
2 Department of Medicine–Geriatrics, University of Chicago, Illinois
3 Center on Demography and Economics of Aging Chicago Core on Biomarkers in Population-Based Health and Aging Research, National Opinion Research Center and the University of Chicago, Illinois
4 Institute for Mind and Biology, Departments of Psychology and Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Illinois
5 National Opinion Research Center, Chicago, Illinois
6 Department of Pathology, Magee-Women's Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Address correspondence to Stacy T. Lindau, MD, MAPP, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine–Geriatrics, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC2050, Chicago, IL 60637. Email: slindau{at}uchicago.edu
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Abstract |
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Objectives: To describe the methods used for, cooperation with, assays conducted on, and applications of vaginal specimens collected by older women in their homes.
Methods: Community-residing women (N = 1,550), ages 57–85 years, participated in a nationally representative probability survey. Vaginal self-swab specimen collection and in-home interviews were conducted between 2005 and 2006. Specimens were analyzed for bacterial vaginosis (BV), vaginal candidiasis (VC), high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), and cytological characteristics. Field methods, consent procedures, the swab protocol, laboratory procedures, and results reporting are described.
Results: One thousand twenty-eight respondents (67.5% weighted) agreed to provide a vaginal specimen; 99.1% were successful. The specimen adequacy rates were BV and VC, 94.1%; HR-HPV, 99.7%; and cytology, 85.5%. The most common recorded reason for nonparticipation was a physical or health problem (38% of nonresponders). Responders were significantly more likely than nonresponders to be younger and more educated, and were more likely to report a recent pelvic examination, menopausal hormone use, and recent sexual activity.
Discussion: Collection of vaginal self-swab specimens from older women in a population-based study is feasible and provides novel data on microenvironmental characteristics of the female genital tract relevant to analyses of gynecologic health, sexual activity and problems, and immune and inflammatory function.
Key Words: Vaginal swab • Vaginal cytology • Self-collection • Methods • Protocol • Older women • Population
Received August 1, 2008; Accepted October 28, 2008