Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28278277›Full record

ArticlePloS one2017

Women view key sexual behaviours as the trigger for the onset and recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.

Jade E Bilardi, Sandra M Walker, Meredith J Temple-Smith, Ruth P McNair, Julie Mooney-Somers, Lenka A Vodstrcil, Clare E Bellhouse, Christopher K Fairley, Catriona S Bradshaw

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Bacterial vaginosis.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2025
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Jade E BilardiCentral Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0461-2605
Sandra M WalkerCentral Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Meredith J Temple-SmithDepartment of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Ruth P McNairDepartment of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Julie Mooney-SomersCentre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Lenka A VodstrcilCentral Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Clare E BellhouseMelbourne Sexual Health Centre, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Christopher K FairleyCentral Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Catriona S BradshawCentral Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Alfred Hospital · AUThe University of Melbourne · AUThe University of Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBacterial vaginosis (BV) affects a third of women of reproductive age in the US and there is increasing evidence to suggest it may be sexually transmitted. This study aimed to extend and validate the findings of our earlier smaller qualitative study by exploring in detail women's views and experiences of the triggering factors associated with BV onset and recurrence.

methodsWomen aged 20-49, who had experienced one or more symptomatic episode of BV within 6 months, were opportunistically recruited to complete a 38-item questionnaire on their experience of BV.

results103 women completed the questionnaire. Women were significantly more likely to report sexual than lifestyle factors triggered BV onset and recurrence (p<0.001). The top 3 factors women attributed to both BV onset and recurrence were identical-and all sexual. They included, in order: 1) unprotected sex; 2) sex with a new male partner; and 3) sex in general. The main lifestyle factors nominated included stress, diet, menstruation and the use of feminine hygiene products. While many women felt their BV had been transmitted through sexual contact (54%) and developed as a result of sexual activity (59%), few considered BV a sexually transmitted infection (STI) (10%). Despite this 57% felt partners should also be treated for BV.

conclusionThese data concur with our earlier qualitative findings that women believe BV is triggered by sexual activity. While many women felt BV was sexually transmitted and supported partner treatment, they did not consider BV an STI. This contradiction is likely due to information conveyed to women based on current guidelines. In the absence of highly effective BV treatments, this study highlights the need for guidelines to indicate there is scientific uncertainty around the pathogenesis of BV and to contain clear health messages regarding the evidence for practices shown to be associated with a reduced risk of BV (i.e. consistent condom use.

Indexed as

Sexual BehaviorAdolescentAdultBacteriaFemaleHumansMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchRecurrenceRisk FactorsSexually Transmitted DiseasesSexual PartnersSurveys and QuestionnairesVaginaVaginosis, BacterialYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID28278277
PMCPMC5344463
OpenAlexW2620002625

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.