{ "abstract": "Haitian migrant women in the U.S. experience disproportionate rates of cervical cancer. Intravaginal practices (IVPs) are widely used among Haitian women and have been linked to an increased risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Although IVPs are well-documented in the Haitian community, little is known about Haitian migrant women’s perceptions and motivations underlying their use. This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study examined Haitian migrant women’s motivations for engaging in IVPs, products used for IVPs, and indications for their use. A convenience sample of Haitian migrant women in South Florida were recruited through active and passive recruitment approaches in community-based centers. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 25) explored perceptions, motivations, and products used for IVPs. Qualitative results informed the development of survey items measuring IVPs, which were administered to participants (n = 151). Chi-square analysis with a Bonferroni adjustment examined associations between IVP products and IVP indications. All women in the qualitative sample (n = 25, 100%) confirmed IVP use compared to 68.9% (n = 104) of women in the quantitative sample. Qualitative interviews revealed that IVP preferences were rooted in cultural expectations with most women starting these practices either during puberty or after sexual debut. IVP products (e.g., plant and herbal agents, astringent washes, and antibiotics) were often chosen based on specific gynecologic indications, with this finding being consistent across both samples. Pigeon pea (pwa kongo) was the most frequently used IVP product in the quantitative sample (n = 74, 71.2%) and was associated with nearly all IVP indications (p ≤ 0.004). Given the high prevalence of IVPs in our sample, researchers and practitioners should further examine the meaningful health risks and protective effects associated with IVPs.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.", "Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.", "Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America.", "School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.", "Department of Education and Human Development, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America.", "School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America." ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 8, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Dominique Guillaume", "orcid": "0000-0003-3963-4986" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Laetitia Mélissande Amédée", "orcid": "0000-0002-7005-3146" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Maria Alcaide" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Joy Chepkorir", "orcid": "0000-0003-2273-418X" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Ashley Gresh", "orcid": "0000-0002-7181-8219" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Ann Augustin" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Laeticia Jean Baptiste" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Kamila Alexander" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/11zyj92f39mva.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394", "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394", "id": "11zyj92f39mva", "issns": [ "2767-3375" ], "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY", "licence_label": "CC BY", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "heading", "Antibiotics" ], [ "heading", "Antimicrobials" ], [ "heading", "Behavioral and Social Aspects of Health" ], [ "heading", "Beverages" ], [ "heading", "Biology and Life Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Cancer Risk Factors" ], [ "heading", "Cancers and Neoplasms" ], [ "heading", "Cervical Cancer" ], [ "heading", "Culture" ], [ "heading", "Diet" ], [ "heading", "Drugs" ], [ "heading", "Epidemiology" ], [ "heading", "Eukaryota" ], [ "heading", "Gynecologic Infections" ], [ "heading", "Gynecological Tumors" ], [ "heading", "Legumes" ], [ "heading", "Medical Risk Factors" ], [ "heading", "Medicine and Health Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Microbial Control" ], [ "heading", "Microbiology" ], [ "heading", "Nutrition" ], [ "heading", "Obstetrics and Gynecology" ], [ "heading", "Oncology" ], [ "heading", "Organisms" ], [ "heading", "Peas" ], [ "heading", "Pharmacology" ], [ "heading", "Plants" ], [ "heading", "Public and Occupational Health" ], [ "heading", "Research Article" ], [ "heading", "Social Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Sociology" ], [ "heading", "Tea" ], [ "heading", "Women's Health" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Microbial control/Antimicrobials/Antibiotics" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Beverages/Tea" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Plants/Legumes/Peas" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Epidemiology/Medical risk factors/Cancer risk factors" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Beverages/Tea" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancer risk factors" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Gynecological tumors/Cervical cancer" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Pharmacology/Drugs/Antimicrobials/Antibiotics" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Public and occupational health/Behavioral and social aspects of health" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Obstetrics and gynecology/Gynecologic infections" ], [ "plos", "/Social sciences/Sociology/Culture" ] ], "openalex": null, "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394&type=printable", "pmcid": "PMC13719032", "pmid": "42956078", "published": "2026-10-29", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/11zyj92f39mva.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394", "source": "plos", "url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394" }, { "first_seen": "2026-10-31T00:20:39Z", "native_id": "MED:42956078", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42956078" }, { "first_seen": "2026-11-02T12:22:56Z", "native_id": "PMC13719032", "source": "pmc", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "heading:Microbiology", "subfield": "microbiology" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:epidemiology", "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:nutrition", "subfield": "nutrition" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:oncology", "subfield": "oncology" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "heading:Obstetrics and Gynecology", "subfield": "reproductive-child" } ], "title": "Understanding intravaginal practices for gynecologic health among Haitian migrant women: A mixed-methods analysis", "title_text": "Understanding intravaginal practices for gynecologic health among Haitian migrant women: A mixed-methods analysis", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-02T12:22:56Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/11zyj92f39mva", "venue": "PLOS Global Public Health", "versions": [] }