Table 1.
Characteristics of the study sample at baseline in the Ludwig-McGill Cohort Study (n = 505)
| Variables | Categories | n (%) a |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 18–22 | 62 (12.3) |
| 22–29 | 121 (24.0) | |
| 30–39 | 186 (36.8) | |
| ≥40 | 136 (26.9) | |
| Ethnicity | White | 318 (63.0) |
| Nonwhite | 187 (37.0) | |
| Education | <Elementary | 125 (24.8) |
| Elementary | 301 (59.6) | |
| High school | 68 (13.5) | |
| College/University | 9 (1.8) | |
| Smoking | Never | 245 (48.5) |
| Current | 172 (34.1) | |
| Former | 88 (17.4) | |
| Number of pregnancies | 0–1 | 80 (15.8) |
| 2–3 | 225 (44.6) | |
| 4–6 | 147 (29.1) | |
| ≥7 | 50 (9.9) | |
| Oral contraceptive use | Never | 85 (16.8) |
| <6 years | 261 (51.7) | |
| ≥6 years | 159 (31.5) | |
| Condom use | No | 185 (36.6) |
| Yes | 320 (63.4) | |
| Hygienic tampon use | No | 454 (89.9) |
| Yes | 50 (9.9) | |
| Menstrual cloth use | No | 313 (62.0) |
| Yes | 191 (37.8) | |
| Vaginal douching | Never/occasional | 475 (94.1) |
| Frequent | 30 (5.9) | |
| Age at first intercourse | 20–50 | 142 (28.1) |
| 18–19 | 113 (22.4) | |
| 16–17 | 113 (22.4) | |
15 | 137 (27.1) | |
| Lifetime number of sex partners | 0–1 | 238 (47.1) |
| 2–3 | 176 (34.9) | |
| 4+ | 91 (18.0) | |
| Number of sex partners in the last 5 years | 0–1 | 410 (81.2) |
| ≥2 | 95 (18.8) | |
| Number of sex partners in the last year | 0–1 | 483 (95.6) |
| ≥2 | 18 (3.6) | |
| Anal sex practiced between visits | No | 301 (59.6) |
| Yes | 204 (40.4) | |
| Lifetime number of anal sex partners | 0 | 319 (63.2) |
| 1 | 172 (34.1) | |
| 2–3 | 14 (2.8) | |
| Received oral sex | Never | 239 (47.3) |
| Ever | 266 (52.7) | |
| Annual frequency of masturbation acts in the last 5 yearsb | 0 | 351 (69.5) |
| <1 | 92 (18.2) | |
| 1–9 | 27 (5.3) | |
| 10–35 | 19 (3.8) | |
| ≥36 | 16 (3.2) | |
| History of sexually transmitted diseases | No | 384 (76.0) |
| HPV-related | 20 (4.0) | |
| Other | 100 (19.8) | |
| Cytology gradec | NILM | 471 (93.3) |
| ASC-US | 16 (3.2) | |
| LSIL | 13 (2.6) | |
| HSIL | 3 (0.6) |
Abbreviations: HSIL, high squamous intraepithelial lesion; NILM, negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy
↵aFrequencies may not add up to 505 women because of missing values for some variables.
↵bQuestion asked at the follow-up visit. Of those practicing masturbation, 147 reported using hands and 6 using objects (1 missing).
↵cRefers to the highest cytologic grade attained during the first year.