Short summary

In Demark the general practitioner (GP) is the central person in the primary health care. If a GP estimates that a woman needs a gynecological examination, the GP refers the woman to a gynecological specialist, either at a hospital or in the primary health care (office gynecologist). If the woman herself wants to be examined by a gynecological specialist, the GP can decide whether to refer or not. 

Rationale

In Copenhagen the number of women per gynecological specialist in the primary care is about 20.600. In the North Region the number is 144.500 women per office gynecologist and in the Middle Region, the number is 71.300 women per specialist.

We examine if this uneven distribution has any implications which can be referred to diagnoses and demography. 

Moreover, we examine the woman's attitude to the gynecological examination and the setting of the examination room.

Description of the cohort

3000 women from six different specialist consultions in the primary care with one representative from each region, two from the capital region.

We examine the diagnoses menorrhagia, lichen sclerosus et atroficus, postmenopausal metrorrhagia, climateric discomfort, dyspareunia and IUD insertion.

Data and biological material

The woman has to complete a questionnaire online after she has been examined.

From the Danish registries we catch up the majority of socio-demographics data.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Lisbeth Eriksen, Ahlefeldtsgade 18, 1359 København K

Agnete Vedsted-Jakobsen, Nordre Jernbanevej 17A, 3400 Hillerød

Charlotte Floridon, Algade 51, 4300 Holbæk

Morten Ring, Dag Hammarskjølds Gade 4, 9000 Aalborg

Elin Poulsen, Tværgade 9, 8600 Silkeborg

Alexander Laschke, Opnørplads 1, 2., 6200 Aabenraa