Female Genital Mutilation: Knowledge and Skills of Health Professionals

Abstract

Background: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is any process that injures female genitals for non-medical reasons and is a violation of women’s human rights. An important number of women from countries where FGM is performed are arriving to Western countries. Health professionals are important for detecting cases of FGM. No surveys to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices on FGM among healthcare professionals has been conducted in Castilla la Mancha (Spain) until now. Methods: The main goal of the study is assessing knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of healthcare professionals in relation to FGM. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted based on self-administered online surveys to nurses, midwives, family doctors, pediatricians, obstetrics and gynecologists. Results: In total, 1168 professionals answered the surveys. Just 13.9% indicated that they had received training in FGM, however just 10.7% correctly identified the three types of FGM, 10.7% the countries where it is usually practiced, 33.9% knew the legislation in Spain and only 4.4% found a case of FGM during their professional practice. Regarding the knowledge about protocols, 8.64% of the sample indicated to know one of them. Conclusion: The present study demonstrate that it is necessary to improve the training and awareness of healthcare professionals related to FGM in Castilla la Mancha.

Legal Awareness and Practices of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) among United Arab Emirates Medical Practitioners

“…A study carried out in Spain showed that only 10.7% of respondents had appropriate knowledge in the area of FGM/C types, and 33.9% knew the applicable laws in the country. This might be due to the fact that the percentage of people subjected to FGM/C was low, and only 5.4% of respondents had met them in their practice [ 6 ]. A study conducted in Alexandria by Mostafa et al, showed that medical students had little knowledge of the FGM/C procedure and of complications, and a significant percentage (52%) supported the legitimacy of its implementation.…”

“…The problem does not only concern countries where FGM/C is practiced for cultural reasons [ 31 ]. A study conducted in Spain revealed that only 31.7% of medical practitioners, after finding lesions resulting from FGM/C, decided to address the issue in the consulting room, and 23.8% asked about children in the family who could be subjected to the procedure in the future [ 6 ]. None of the respondents reported this fact to the authorities.…”

“…Many voices emphasize the need for intercultural mediation in the field of medicine as well, especially in cases of cultural and ethically sensitive issues [ 6 ]. It is reasonable and responsible to create a commission consisting of legal, medical, and religious representatives tasked with establishing a consensus and formulating clear legal recommendations that can, then, be provided to and enforced among medical personnel and society at large.…”

“…General globalization is the reason women subjected to FGM/C are also found in European countries. A study conducted in Spain revealed that 5.4% of medical practitioners met circumcised women in their practice [ 6 ]. The issue of FGM/C also directly affects health-care workers.…”

The need for and acceptability of a curriculum to train nursing and medical students in the sexual healthcare of clients with female genital mutilation/cutting in Tanzania

“…Several studies have shown that HCPs have little knowledge and experience of FGM/C related health problems, making them uncomfortable to serve these patients, including in both high FGM/C prevalence countries and countries who serve as migration destinations [ 27 , 33 , 34 ]. Significant gaps have also been observed in the provision of proper and safe prenatal and childbirth care for women who have undergone FGM/C [ 35 ].…”