Understanding intravaginal practices for gynecologic health among Haitian migrant women: A mixed-methods analysis
6 affiliations
- 1Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.
- 2Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
- 3Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
- 4School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
- 5Department of Education and Human Development, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
- 6School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
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.
Related
- Pitfalls in understanding PhIP-Seq data: technical variability, replicability, and best practices for interpretation
- A novel SNP-based multiplex PCR profiling divulges contemporary genetic patterns in Haitian variant Vibrio cholerae O1 clinical isolates
- The hormone–microbiota–NET framework in gynecologic diseases: evidence, controversies, and translational opportunities
- Clinical trial landscape and translational priorities for adoptive T-cell and NK-cell therapies in gynecologic malignancies
- Antigen-Presentation Competence in Gynecologic Cancers: Mechanisms, Evidence and Translational Priorities.
BibTeX
@article{guillaume2026understanding,
title = {{Understanding intravaginal practices for gynecologic health among Haitian migrant women: A mixed-methods analysis}},
author = {Dominique Guillaume and Laetitia Mélissande Amédée and Maria Alcaide and Joy Chepkorir and Ashley Gresh and Ann Augustin and Laeticia Jean Baptiste and Kamila Alexander},
journal = {PLOS Global Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Understanding intravaginal practices for gynecologic health among Haitian migrant women: A mixed-methods analysis
AU - Dominique Guillaume
AU - Laetitia Mélissande Amédée
AU - Maria Alcaide
AU - Joy Chepkorir
AU - Ashley Gresh
AU - Ann Augustin
AU - Laeticia Jean Baptiste
AU - Kamila Alexander
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - PLOS Global Public Health
DO - 10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394
UR - https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007394
AB - 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.
SN - 2767-3375
ER -