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

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.