{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T14:05:40Z","timestamp":1774447540110,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,30]],"date-time":"2022-12-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1672358400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/publicdomain\/zero\/1.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common infection, and high-quality studies report that misdiagnosis is frequent, with diagnostic testing needed to distinguish it from other causes of vaginitis and avoid inappropriate empiric treatment. However, few recent studies have evaluated U.S. healthcare providers\u2019 testing practices for VVC in detail. We evaluated healthcare providers\u2019 self-reported testing practices for VVC and treatment outcomes as part of a nationwide online survey in order to identify potential opportunities for improving VVC testing and treatment in the United States. Among 1,503 providers surveyed, 21.3% reported \u201calways\u201d (7.4%) or \u201cusually\u201d (13.9%) ordering diagnostic testing for patients with suspected VVC; this proportion was higher among gynecologists (36.0%) compared with family practitioners (17.8%) and internists (15.8%). Most providers (91.2%) reported that patients\u2019 VVC \u201calways\u201d (6.4%) or \u201cusually\u201d (84.9%) responds to initial treatment. Whether the symptom resolution reported in this survey was truly related to VVC is unclear given high rates of misdiagnosis and known widespread empiric prescribing. With only about one-in-five providers reporting usually or always performing diagnostic testing for VVC despite guidelines recommending universal use, research is needed to address barriers to proper testing.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0278630","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,30]],"date-time":"2022-12-30T18:58:00Z","timestamp":1672426680000},"page":"e0278630","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Survey of healthcare providers\u2019 testing practices for vulvovaginal candidiasis and treatment outcomes\u2013United States, 2021"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0458-2493","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Kaitlin","family":"Benedict","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ravan","family":"Moret","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Noelle Angelique M.","family":"Molinari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Brendan R.","family":"Jackson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,30]]},"reference":[{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0278630.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1368","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.291.11.1368","article-title":"Evaluation of Vaginal Complaints.","volume":"291","author":"MR Anderson","year":"2004","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0278630.ref002","first-page":"321","article-title":"Vaginitis: Diagnosis and Treatment.","volume":"97","author":"HL Paladine","year":"2018","journal-title":"Am Fam Physician"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0278630.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-022-01741-x","article-title":"Survey of incidence, lifetime prevalence, and treatment of self-reported vulvovaginal candidiasis, United States, 2020.","volume":"22","author":"K Benedict","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Women\u2019s Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0278630.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajog.2015.06.067","article-title":"Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis","volume":"214","author":"JD Sobel","year":"2016","journal-title":"American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology"},{"key":"pone.0278630.ref005","unstructured":"CDC. Vulvovaginal Candidiasis 2021 [Available from: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/std\/treatment-guidelines\/candidiasis.htm."},{"key":"pone.0278630.ref006","article-title":"Diagnosis and Treatment of Vaginal Discharge Syndromes in Community Practice Settings","author":"SL Hillier","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clinical Infectious Diseases"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0278630.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0267866","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0267866","article-title":"Possible misdiagnosis, inappropriate empiric treatment, and opportunities for increased diagnostic testing for patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis\u2014United States, 2018.","volume":"17","author":"K Benedict","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLOS ONE"},{"issue":"S1","key":"pone.0278630.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S13","DOI":"10.1089\/pop.2020.0258","article-title":"Physician Awareness and Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines in the Diagnosis of Vaginitis Patients: A Retrospective Chart Review.","volume":"23","author":"P Nyirjesy","year":"2020","journal-title":"Popul Health Manag."},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0278630.ref009","first-page":"253","article-title":"Current Treatment Options for Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.","volume":"1","author":"J. Sobel","year":"2005","journal-title":"Women\u2019s Health."},{"issue":"S1","key":"pone.0278630.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S3","DOI":"10.1089\/pop.2020.0265","article-title":"Improving the Diagnosis of Vulvovaginitis: Perspectives to Align Practice, Guidelines, and Awareness.","volume":"23","author":"H Brown","year":"2020","journal-title":"Population health management."}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0278630","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,30]],"date-time":"2022-12-30T18:58:11Z","timestamp":1672426691000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0278630"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Emily W.","family":"Harville","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,30]]},"references-count":10,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,30]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0278630","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,30]]}}}