THE USE OF ANTIFUNGAL AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION IN THE TREATMENT OF VULVOVAGINAL SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN REFERRED TO THE GYNECOLOGIC CLINICS IN SARI EMAM HOSPITAL IN 1999-2000

During the present decade, antifungal products usage without prescription has increased in women. Many women, use alternative medicines for relief of symptoms and health problems, but the extent of this usage and the costs are still unkown. This study was designed to investigate the use of antifungal and alternative medicines without prescription in women referred to the gynecologic clinic in Sari Emam hospital. It was a descriptive study done in 102 women referred to gynecologic clinics in Sari Emam Hospital and evaluated by recording data in questionair, clinical observations and laboratory investigations. The mean age of the patients was 28 years. Half of the patients has high school education and higher diploma. The mean term of symptoms in most of the patients was 18 months. Sixty (%58.82) patients had self-treated with Over The-Counter antifungal medicines such as clotrimazole (%85) miconazole (%5), povidone-iodine gell (%10). Twenty-two (%21.56), had used Alternative Medicines, most frequently vinegar sitz bath (%40.9), salt sitz bath or douches (%27.2), betadin sitz bath or douches (%3.2) and savlon (%8). In 20 (%19.6) of the patients did not use any method or drugs. In spite of most patients thought that vulvovaginal candidiasis was the cause of their symptoms (%72.5), only in 35 (%34.3) cases diagnosis at initial presentation were candidiasis. This study has show that self-treatment is common in our society that add health care costs and not beneficial. This way of treatment not only would delay the proper treatment but is a reason for peresistant and chronic candition of the patients.