Table 1.
Responses of Women (N = 2,991), Study on Intention to Seek Care for Symptoms of Gynecologic Cancers, HealthStyles Survey, 2008
| Symptom | Response, % | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||
| Yes | No | Not Sure | |
| Abnormal, predominately gynecologica | |||
| Rash or sore on your genitals that does not go away | 91.8 | 5.6 | 2.6 |
| Vaginal bleeding after you have gone through menopause (postmenopausal women only) | 90.5 | 6.3 | 3.2 |
| Vaginal itching that does not get better with over-the-counter treatments/creams | 90.4 | 5.7 | 3.8 |
| Vaginal discharge that is not normal for you | 83.1 | 10.7 | 6.2 |
| Skin on your genitals becoming redder or whiter than is normal for you | 82.1 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Vaginal bleeding (not related to your period) after sex on 2 or more occasions | 77.1 | 13.4 | 9.6 |
| Pelvic or abdominal pain after sex | 63.2 | 20.5 | 16.3 |
| Influenza-like symptoms (eg, fever and body aches) for more than 3 daysb | 62.7 | 25.2 | 12.1 |
| Vaginal bleeding between periods (premenopausal women only) | 57.6 | 32.1 | 10.3 |
| Period that lasts more than 7 days (premenopausal women only) | 54.9 | 30.9 | 14.2 |
| Abnormal and persistent, predominately nongynecologicc | |||
| Pelvic or abdominal pain | 88.9 | 6.4 | 4.7 |
| Urinating more often or more urgently than usual | 72.7 | 18.0 | 9.4 |
| Back pain | 59.0 | 27.6 | 13.4 |
| Bloating | 41.0 | 40.5 | 18.5 |
| Feeling full after eating a small amount of food | 37.2 | 41.5 | 21.3 |
Survey participants were asked, "If you had any of the following, would you call or see a doctor?" Except for the question on influenza-like symptoms, these symptoms are typically considered gynecologic (ie, clearly related to the reproductive system) and are referred to as abnormal in this table (but were not during the survey).
We included a question on intention to seek care for influenza-like symptoms, which are not typically associated with gynecologic cancers, as a control.
Survey participants were asked, "If it was not normal for you and you experienced any of the following every day for 2 weeks or longer, would you call or see a doctor?" These symptoms are typically considered nongynecologic (ie, not obviously related to the reproductive system) and are referred to as abnormal and persistent in this table (but not during the survey).