Are healthcare professionals prepared to provide care for patients who have experienced female genital cutting? A cross-sectional survey

Author(s):  
Angela Deane ◽  
Fiona Mattatall ◽  
Allison Brown
PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245723
Author(s):  
Bothild Bendiksen ◽  
Trond Heir ◽  
Fabakary Minteh ◽  
Mai Mahgoub Ziyada ◽  
Rex A. Kuye ◽  
...  

Background Female genital cutting (FGC) involve an acute physical trauma that hold a potential risk for immediate and long-term complications and mental health problems. The aim of this study was to examine the prediction of depressive symptoms and psychological distress by the immediate and current physical complications following FGC. Further, to examine whether the age at which 12-year-old Gambian girls had undergone the procedure affected mental health outcomes. Method This cross-sectional study recruited 134 12-year-old girls from 23 public primary schools in The Gambia. We used a structured clinical interview to assess mental health and life satisfaction, including the Short Mood and Feeling Questionnaire (SMFQ), the Symptom check list (SCL-5) and Cantril’s Ladder of Life Satisfaction. Each interview included questions about the cutting procedure, immediate- and current physical complications and the kind of help and care girls received following FGC. Results Depressive symptoms were associated with immediate physical health complications in a multivariate regression model [RR = 1.08 (1.03, 1.12), p = .001], and with present urogenital problems [RR = 1.19 (1.09, 1.31), p < .001]. The girls that received medical help following immediate complications had a lower risk for depressive symptoms [RR = .73 (.55, .98), p = .04]. Psychological distress was only associated with immediate complications [RR = 1.04 (1.01, 1.07), p = .004]. No significant differences in mental health outcomes were found between girls who underwent FGC before the age of four in comparison to girls who underwent FGC after the age of four. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the immediate and long-term complications following FGC have implications for psychological health. Only a minimal number of girls received medical care when needed, and the dissemination of health education seems crucial in order to prevent adverse long-term physical and psychological health consequences.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Surico ◽  
R. Amadori ◽  
L. B. Gastaldo ◽  
R. Tinelli ◽  
N. Surico

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malin Jordal ◽  
Gabriele Griffin

The migratory flows of recent decades that have exercised Europe as a socio-political and economic entity have produced extensive responses and interventions from European gender scholars. One relatively recent phenomenon in this context is the question of reparative surgical interventions, specifically clitoral reconstruction, in cases where women who have migrated to Europe have experienced female genital cutting. Clitoral reconstruction, which this article begins to explore, is recent in part because the related surgery was only established in the 1990s and is to date only practised in a few European countries, and in part because the research with women who ask for and have undergone such surgery has also only recently begun. This article is therefore an initial attempt to map some of the related terrain and to suggest further work that needs to be done in this increasingly important area.


The existing literature on female genital cutting (FGC) is conflicting regarding its effects on sexual functions. The study aims is to evaluate the effects of FGC on the female sexual function. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out between April 2018 and January 2019. We included married women, aged 18-45 years old and sexually active during the last six months. All women were asked to complete the Arabic Female Sexual Function Index (ArFSFI) independently. The cut-off score to define sexual dysfunction on the total FSFI score is 28.1. Then, the gynecologist conducted a thorough clinical examination and a detailed assessment of the type and extent of FGC. Continuous data was expressed in the form of mean±SD while nominal data was expressed in the form of frequency and percentage. Results: The study included 200 women divided into two groups; group (I) FGC, n=127 women and group (II) no FGC, n=73 women. There was no statistically significant difference in sexual function between both groups [91 women (71.7%) in group I vs. 53 women (72.6%) in group II, p=0.511]. The mean total ArFSFI score in group I was 25.8±3.05 vs. 25.4±3.64 in group II (p=0.598). No statistically significant difference in the sexual function between women with type I and type II FGC (p=0.555). Conclusions: FGC is not associated with reduced scores of ArFSFI either in all domain scores or the total score. Moreover, no difference in the scores of the ArFSFI between women with type I or type II FGC.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Khidir Mustafa Elnimeiri ◽  
Reem Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelbasit ◽  
Mohanad Kamaleldin Mahmoud Ibrahim ◽  
Dimetry Adel Dimetry Mingaryous ◽  
Taqwa Mohieldeen Hamid Abdelrahim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Female genital cutting/mutilation (FGC/M) is deeply rooted and widely practiced in Sudan. Although the trend is slowly decreasing, the magnitude is still very high as the procedure has no known benefit but has many consequences. The aim of this study was to identify the causes and the risk factors associated with FGC/M among reproductive-age women in the country.Methods: A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 902 women in the reproductive age (15-49) years in Khartoum State-Sudan, sampled proportionate to size using multistage clustering and participants were drawn using systematic probability sampling technique. Data were collected using a standardized administered questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Among 902 women who participated in the study, 89% of were married and 48% of them got married for the first time at age less than 20 years. The commonest age for such practice was 6-7 years as stated by about 48% of them. There is a significant association between educational level of participants and practicing FGC/M among their daughters (P value=.0001) with a tendency of the participants who attained a higher educational levels to less subject their daughters to any form of FGC/M. There is a significant association between the type of FGC/M of participants and the type of FGC/M of their daughters (P value=.001) with a tendency of the participants’ daughters to be subjected to clitorectomy rather than pharaonic. 39% of the participants stated that they themselves influenced the decision to subject their daughters to FGC/M while 32% of them stated that the grandmothers influence such a decision. The study revealed 45% of the participants believed in customs and traditions as the main reason for the conduct of FGC/M.Conclusion: The FGC/M was widely practiced by the participants’ families indicating the deeply rooted practice as a social norm. Parental education is inversely associated with practicing FGC/M to their daughters. The socio-cultural reason was the main cause of practicing FGC/M among participants. Therefore, a significant change in factors such as education, and social development might cause a gradual decline in FGC/M.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-40
Author(s):  
I. Ikechukwu ◽  
E.C. Isah ◽  
S.E. Ehinze

Background: Female genital cutting (FGC) affects over 200 million girls and women globally. It is inimical to health and increasingly being performed by healthcare providers. Medicalization of FGC is proposed by its proponents to reduce and prevent the incidence of its complications and though perceived to be safer, it is unethical and unjustifiable. This study assessed medicalization of FGC in Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State and made recommendations geared towards ending its practice.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among reproductive age women (15 – 44 years) selected using multi-stage sampling. Pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to obtain quantitative data from 502 women while a focus group discussion guide was used to obtain qualitative data. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 and by themes. Results were presented as tables and narratives.Results: Prevalence of FGC was 277 (55.2%), of which 223 (80.5%) were medicalized. The mean age of cutting was 16.8 ± 5.46 years and nurses performed majority 220 (79.4%) of them. Few 44 (8.8%) of the respondents were aware of possible complications of FGC. Qualitative findings indicated that FGC is still being practiced with nurses being reported as major practitioners.Conclusion: Despite concerted efforts to eliminate FGC, its practice is still propagated with increasing heath workers as practitioners. Advocacy and health education for women and girls as well as training and retraining of health care providers is imperative to check this trend.


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