Table 2.
Comparison of between case and control populations.
| Characteristics | Casesn = 55 (%) | Controlsn = 126 (%) | P# | Odds ratio† (95%CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geographic area* | ||||
| Northwest | 19/55 (34) | 43/126 (34) | 0.8 | |
| Northeast | 7/55 (13) | 12/126 (9) | ||
| Southwest | 7/55 (13) | 21/126 (17) | ||
| Southeast | 22/55 (40) | 50/126 (40) | ||
| Age in years, median ± IQR | 17.9 (16.0–21.7) | 18.0 (16.0–24.8) | 0.3 | |
| Tampon misuse practices | ||||
| Maximum hours of tampon-wearing time, median ± IQR§ | 8 (5–8.5) | 6 (4–8) | <0.05 | |
| At least once >6 h* | 34/55 (62) | 52/126 (41) | 0.01 | 2.33 (1.21–4.47) |
| At least once >8 h* | 14/55 (24) | 20/126 (16) | 0.15 | 1.77 (0.81–3.84) |
| Tampon use when planning to sleep > 8 h*,a | 40/52 (77) | 65/120 (54) | 0.006 | 3.22 (1.37–7.69) |
| Never match tampon absorbency to the menstruation flow* | 23/53 (43) | 41/126 (33) | 0.18 | 1.56 (0.81–2.99) |
| Tampon use due to anticipation outside of menses* | 14/55 (24) | 38/126 (30) | 0.59 | 0.81 (0.40–1.66) |
| Forgot to remove a tampon before inserting a new one* | 4/55 (7.3) | 12/126 (9.5) | 0.78 | 0.76 (0.24–2.48) |
| MTSS knowledge | ||||
| Aware* | 19/55 (35) | 48/126 (38) | 0.73 | 1.14 (0.59–2.22) |
| Perceived risk linked to tampon* | 13/54 (24) | 52/126 (41) | 0.03 | 2.14 (1.05–4.36) |
| Know what to do if warning signs* | 26/41 (63) | 29/39 (74) | 0.34 | 0.68 (0.25–1.85) |
| Initial education before first tampon use and skill acquisition | ||||
| Had initial education* | 21/55 (38) | 56/126 (44) | 0.51 | 0.75 (0.39–1.43) |
| Among those educated for tampon use | ||||
| How to use tampons* | 21/21 (100) | 45/56 (80) | 0.03 | - |
| Precaution regarding tampon use* | 11/21 (52.4) | 36/56 (64.3) | 0.43 | 0.51 (0.17–2.51) |
| Warning signs of MTSS* | 1/21 (4.8) | 4/56 (7.1) | 1 | 0.61 (0.07–5.59) |
| What to do if MTSS suspected* | 1/21 (4.8) | 2/56 (3.6) | 1 | 1.31 (0.12–4.81) |
| Source of education | ||||
| Members of the family or friend* | 40/55 (73) | 77/126 (61) | 0.18 | 1.68 (0.84–3.34) |
| Health practitioner* | 7/55 (13) | 13/126 (10) | 0.62 | 1.23 (0.46–3.27) |
| Media (internet, book, newspaper)* | 16/55 (29) | 35/126 (28) | 0.86 | 1.06 (0.53–2.13) |
| Read the instructions provided in tampon pack* | 32/55 (58) | 98/126 (78) | 0.01 | 0.41 (0.21–0.81) |
| Read and followed the instructions* | 19/55 (35) | 73/126 (58) | 0.006 | 0.39 (0.21–0.76) |
⁎
n/total (%).
§
IQR denotes interquartile range, MTSS menstrual toxic shock syndrome, and 95%CI 95% confidence interval.
#
P value, Wilcoxon rank sum test for quantitative variables and Fisher's exact test for qualitative variables.
†
The ORs and their 95% CI were estimated using univariate logistic regression model stratified for geographic area for each exposure variable in turn.