Deferred Pelvic Examinations: A Purposeful Omission in the Care of Mentally Ill Women

In their struggle to meet the multiple psychiatric and rehabilitative needs of the many chronic mentally ill living in the community, community mental health centers and aftercare clinics have overlooked the importance of pelvic examinations for women patients. The author presents a review of the literature focusing on the reasons that such exams are generally deferred and the arguments that support conducting complete physical examinations of women psychiatric patients. She then presents results of a study that indicate the extent to which pelvic examinations are deferred, suggests steps that facilities can take to rectify the problem, and poses questions for further research.