Vaginal Infections in Haitian Immigrant Women Living in Miami, Florida.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize vulvovaginal candidiasis (VC), trichomonas vaginalis (TV), and bacterial vaginosis (BV) among Haitian women living in Miami to identify contributing factors to cervical cancer disparity in this population.

METHODS

Using a CBPR framework, 246 Haitian women (ages 21-65) were recruited. Self-collected cervical cytology specimens were analyzed for VC, TV, and BV.

RESULTS

The proportion of participants with VC, TV, and BV, were 7.3%, 9.3%, and 19.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Haitian women may have a higher prevalence of TV than the general U.S. population, which may increase susceptibility to HPV, the primary cause of cervical cancer.