Women prefer females for intimate check-ups: survey

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - When it comes to intimate medical examinations, most women prefer a female doctor while men don't really care, an Australian study showed.

The research, led by a doctor at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital and published in the journal Sexual Health, found that 64 percent of women visiting sexual health clinics in the city for a genital check-up specifically asked for a female doctor.

By contrast, 70 percent of men had no preference on who examined them.

Results of the survey, which polled 480 people attending two Sydney clinics, were reported in the Australian media.

The study was one of the first to canvass patient opinions of "chaperones" who can accompany them to genital check-ups, which can prove "embarrassing for patients and can leave clinicians open to accusations of professional misconduct", the researchers wrote.

The survey revealed that one third of women wanted a "chaperone" in the room with them if they were being examined by a male doctor. Four percent of women said they would even like a chaperone if they had a female clinician.

Only one percent of men said they would want someone else in the room.

"History of sexual abuse has been shown to be associated with women being uncomfortable when having a gynecological examination, and could therefore be an important factor in wanting a chaperone," the researchers wrote.

"Another factor that might influence a desire for chaperone is past negative experience of anogenital examination."