{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,1]],"date-time":"2026-02-01T10:06:20Z","timestamp":1769940380725,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,10,21]],"date-time":"2014-10-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1413849600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceutics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Therapeutic outcomes of vaginal products depend not only on their ability to deliver drugs to or through the vagina but also on acceptability and correct use. Women\u2019s preferences, in turn, may vary according to age and cultural backgrounds. In this work,  an anonymous online survey was completed by 2529 Portuguese women to assess their preferences for physical characteristics and mode of application of vaginal products, according to age. Additionally, intention to use and misconceptions about these issues were assessed. The majority of women of all age groups would use vaginal products to treat or prevent diseases, upon medical prescription. Women preferred vaginal products to be odorless and colorless gels, creams and ointments composed by natural origin drugs\/excipients and applied by means of an applicator. Although the majority of women would prefer not to insert any product in the vagina, intention to use for self and recommendation to use for others was associated with previous experiences with vaginal products. General concerns and misconceptions related to use of vaginal products were rare. These data may contribute to the development of products that women are more prone  to use.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmaceutics6040543","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,10,21]],"date-time":"2014-10-21T10:07:45Z","timestamp":1413886065000},"page":"543-556","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["What do Portuguese Women Prefer Regarding Vaginal Products? Results from a Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"given":"Rita","family":"Palmeira-de-Oliveira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences,  University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"Pharmacy Department, Centro Hospitalar Cova da Beira, 6200-251 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"Labfit\u2013Health Products Research and Development (HPRD), Lda, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Paulo","family":"Duarte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"NECE\u2013Research Unit in Business Sciences, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences,  University of Beira Interior, 6200-209 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana","family":"Palmeira-de-Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences,  University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"Labfit\u2013Health Products Research and Development (HPRD), Lda, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"Das Neves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INEB\u2013Instituto de Engenharia Biom\u00e9dica, University of Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"CESPU, Instituto de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o e Forma\u00e7\u00e3o Avan\u00e7ada em Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologias da Sa\u00fade,  4585-116 Gandra PRD, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Amaral","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto,  4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Luiza","family":"Breitenfeld","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences,  University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"Martinez-de-Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences,  University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"Child and Woman's Health Department, Centro Hospitalar Cova da Beira,  6200-251 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,10,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Khutoryanskiy, V. (2014). Mucoadhesive Materials and Drug Delivery Systems, Wiley.","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118794203"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2004.01.025","article-title":"Why consider vaginal drug administration?","volume":"82","author":"Alexander","year":"2004","journal-title":"Fertil. 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