Determining the effect of privacy perception, self-esteem, and genital self-image on anxiety in women undergoing pelvic examination

This study aimed to determine the effects of privacy perception, self-esteem, and genital self-image on the level of anxiety among women undergoing pelvic examination. The study employed a descriptive and cross-sectional design and was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatient Clinic of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Research and Application Hospital between November 15, 2024 and March 15, 2025. The sample consisted of 288 women who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using a Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Body Privacy Scale in Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Female Genital Self-Image Scale, and the State Anxiety Subscale. Descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical linear regression analyses were used for data analysis. The mean age of the participants was 36.33±9.71 years. The mean scores indicated a moderate level of anxiety (M=43.19±10.20), self-esteem (M=32.77±4.29), and genital self-image (M=19.80±3.81), while privacy perception was found to be at a high level (M=4.15±0.68). Significant positive correlation was found between privacy perception and anxiety (r=0.354; p=0.001), while significant negative correlations were observed between anxiety and self-esteem (r=-0.320; p=0.001) and genital self-image (r=-0.309; p=0.001). Regression analysis revealed that not having undergone a previous pelvic exam (β=0.185; p=0.001), high privacy perception (β=0.328; p=0.001), low self-esteem (β=-0.210; p=0.001), and negative genital self-image (β=-0.187; p=0.001) were significant predictors of anxiety. The final model explained 31% of the variance in anxiety levels (R²=0.31). The findings reveal that maintaining privacy, supporting self-esteem, and strengthening genital self-image are important in reducing anxiety levels in women during the pelvic examination process.