Use of chaperones during pelvic examinations of female adolescents. Results of a survey
R. M. Buchta
The male membership of the Society for Adolescent Medicine was surveyed
regarding the use of a chaperone during pelvic examination of female
adolescents. Five hundred seven questionnaires were mailed, and 292
physicians (58%) responded. One hundred eight (37%) reported performing
pelvic examinations without a chaperone present. This was usually done
because of patient preference. There was no difference between academic and
private practice physicians. There were many categories listed as
necessitating the presence of a chaperone. Here again, patient preference
was the most frequent. Other reasons for using a chaperone included a
patient with emotional problems, a history of rape or sexual abuse, a
seductive patient, an uncomfortable patient or physician, a first pelvic
examination, and medicolegal issues. Although it has been traditionally
recommended that a chaperone be present during a pelvic examination, our
data suggest that this is not sometimes the case for about one third of the
male physicians in the Society for Adolescent Medicine.
