Many female patients, including teenage patients, feel uncomfortable with gynecological (GYN) exams. The HIV team can use their understanding of these feelings as they select staff to address the needs of different female patients. Providing women and girls with the opportunity to be examined by a female practitioner, someone culturally and linguistically familiar to them, or someone with whom they have frequent interaction makes them more likely to keep their appointments and believe in the importance of gynecological care.
Many programs have incorporated the following suggestions into their delivery of care and have successfully increased the number of women and teenage girls having annual gynecological exams.
