The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
-
To examine adolescents' responses to a medical examination, which included the use of video colposcopy, conducted during an investigation of possible child sexual abuse. ⋯ Seventy-seven eligible girls participated; 51 returned for follow-up. The mean age of the subjects was 13.5 years (SD 1.4 years). Fifty-one percent of the sample was Caucasian, 29% African-American, 18% Hispanic, and 2% other. Seventy-nine percent of the girls chose to watch the examination on the video monitor. The girls' post-examination perceptions were significantly more positive than their pre-examination anticipations (p <.001), even though some aspects continued to be embarrassing, painful, or "scary". Anxiety, as measured by the STAI, significantly decreased from pre- to post-examination (p <.001). Pre-examination and post-examination anxiety were negatively associated with pre-examination anticipation and post-examination perceptions, respectively. Information-avoiding coping styles on the MBSS were associated with positive anticipations of the examination, but exhibited a trend toward negative associations with perceptions of video colposcopy. Scores assessing knowledge of the reproductive functions of their bodies at 3 months revealed no significant differences during the period from pre-examination assessment to three month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS; Teens generally reported that the medical examination, which included the use of video colposcopy, was beneficial. There was a significant reduction in anxiety from pre-examination to post-examination and the girls' feelings about the medical examination were significantly more positive afterwards.