The relationship between characteristics of women with mental retardation and outcomes of the gynecologic examination.

This study examines the relationships among client characteristics and the outcomes of gynecologic examination success, sedation use, and cooperation with the examination in a sample of 99 women with mental retardation who received services from a nurse-managed women's health clinic in a large county medical center. Client characteristics that were associated with a successful gynecologic examination for this population of women were isolated. The findings from this study suggest that the presence of behavioral problems, profound mental retardation, and expressive language difficulties are important signals to providers. Special approaches are necessary when performing gynecologic examinations for women with mental retardation.