Improving vaginal health care with e-health
The use of e-health in healthcare created new challenges and
opportunities with regard to communication and care for both patients
and institutions 10, which is also the case for
general practice. Ball 11 underlines the idea that
e-health requires a different way of thinking where patient involvement
and empowerment are increasingly important compared to the traditional
way. Patient empowerment has potential to reduce healthcare costs and
improve health outcomes. 12 It involves the autonomous
participation of the patient in decision-making regarding his or her
health by taking a more active role and increased responsibility.
Electronic decision making aids are designed to support patients to make
preference sensitive and informed choices. 13
“decision aids are superior to standard counselling in improving
patient’s knowledge and realistic expectations about the results of
treatments and other procedures” (p 1).
In line with patient empowerment, self-medication has become
increasingly important in healthcare. 14 According to
Hughes et al. “self-medication moves patients towards greater
independence in making decisions about management of minor illnesses,
thereby promoting empowerment” (p 1017). The increase of freely
available drugs also initiates the need to self-diagnose. According to
Sihvo et al.7 this self-diagnosis raises concerns in
the healthcare sector since the information given in advertisements of
over-the-counter drugs might influence women to buy superfluous
treatments. Studies showed that most women are not able to self-diagnose
their vaginal complaints accurately, and more information should be
provided by physicians and pharmacy personnel to help women
self-diagnose their complaints better.7, 15
Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop and evaluate an
e-tool for self-diagnosis and treatment of vaginal complaints with the
goal of improving vaginal health care. The e-tool is not supposed to
replace the consultation with the GP altogether, but improve estimation
as regards the necessity to make an appointment, wait or self-treat.