International Journal of Women's Health (Aug 2023)
Do Attitude, Awareness and Intention to Perform Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting for Their Daughters of Women Healthcare Providers Differ from Mothers in Somalia?
Abstract
Derya Suluhan,1 Esra Keles,2 Rahma Yusuf Haji Mohamud,3 Hasan Hüseyin Eker,4 Sertac Cimen,5 Neşe Yakşi,6 Dilek Yildiz7 1Department of Nursing, Somalia Mogadishu Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Faculty of Health Sciences, Mogadishu, Somalia; 2Department of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Kartal Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye; 3Department of Education, Mogadishu Somalia-Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia; 4Department of Public Health, Somalia Mogadishu Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Faculty of Health Sciences, Mogadishu, Somalia; 5Mogadishu Somalia Turkish Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia; 6Department of Public Health, Amasya University School of Medicine, Amasya, Türkiye; 7Department of Pediatric Nursing, Gulhane Faculty of Nursing, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Ankara, TürkiyeCorrespondence: Rahma Yusuf Haji Mohamud, Department of Education, Mogadishu Somalia-Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel +252615216313, Email [email protected]: This study aimed to determine whether there were differences in attitude, awareness, and intention to perform female genital mutilation or cutting for their daughters in the future between female healthcare providers and mothers.Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study design was used.Results: A total of 508 women were included in the study. Of the participants, 68.7% (n = 349) were mothers (Group I) who visited the hospital and 31.3% (n = 159) were women healthcare professionals (Group II) [27% (n = 137) nurses and 4.3% (n = 22) doctors]. It was found that 8 (1.6%) of the participants did not have FGM/C and the FGM/C ratio was lower in group II (95%) than in group I (100%) (p < 0.001). In group I, 99.7% (n = 299) of the participants and 30.6% (n = 19) of those in group II reported intending to perform FGM for their daughters in the future (p < 0.001). The reasons for FGM/C most cited by participants were a traditional rite of passage into womanhood (78%), religious requirement (69.3%), and preservation of their virginity until marriage (59.3%). “Stop FGM” was given as a message on FGM/C by 60% of the participants (n = 79) who answered (n = 127, 100%) to open-ended questions.Conclusion: The results of this study show that female health professionals with higher education and monthly income had less positive perception of their FGM/C and less intention to allow their daughters to undergo FGM/C.Keywords: female genital mutilation, mothers, nurse, doctor, attitude, intention
