Patients' attitudes to chaperones

Abstract

In a survey of 200 female patients attending a five-man practice in a health centre, 75 per cent of the respondents stated that they would like to be offered a chaperone at pelvic examinations. Only six per cent would accept the offer if the examination was performed by their own doctor and 17 per cent if a different doctor examined them. Patients expressing a definite wish for a chaperone were significantly younger and were less likely to have had a previous pelvic examination. Those who definitely did not want one had usually had a pelvic examination before and had been registered with their doctor for significantly longer. These findings may have implications for the conduct of pelvic examination in young women by trainee and locum general practitioners.