Review of Web-Based Toolkits for Health Care Practitioners Working With Women and Girls Affected by or at Risk of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

Shaikh, Hina; McDonnell, Karen A.

doi:10.1177/2150132720935296

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 40 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…There is evidence that mLearning interventions, such as smartphone applications or web-based toolkits, are cost-efficient and can increase providers’ knowledge and skills [ 15 ]. A 2020 review identified 31 web-based toolkits with information about FGM/C and medical treatment recommendations targeting healthcare providers [ 16 ]. There exists one mLearning FGM/C application for healthcare providers in the United Kingdom [ 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acceptability of a Smartphone Application to Enhance Healthcare to Female Genital Mutilation Survivors in Liberia: A Qualitative Study

Nordmann

Pérez²,

King

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In Liberia, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a legally allowed initiation ritual in the secret Sande society. Due to the secrecy, Liberian healthcare providers receive little education on FGM/C and its health consequences. As mobile learning approaches proved to efficiently increase providers’ knowledge and skills, a mobile application (‘app’) was designed to support self-learning, decision-making, and the follow-up of FGM/C survivors’ health. The ‘app’ was introduced in a capacity-building project in 2019 and evaluated through this qualitative study to assess healthcare provider’s needs and acceptance. We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews and eight focus group discussions with 42 adult healthcare providers in three Liberian counties. A thematic approach grounded in descriptive phenomenology guided data analysis and led to three main themes: the ‘app’, mobile learning and health education, and personal impression. Healthcare providers judge the ‘app’ useful to broaden their knowledge and skills, which might lead to better FGM/C detection and management. The ‘app’ might further facilitate patient and community education about the negative health consequences of FMG/C, possibly contributing to a reduction of FGM/C prevalence.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acceptability of a Smartphone Application to Enhance Healthcare to Female Genital Mutilation Survivors in Liberia: A Qualitative Study

Nordmann

Pérez²,

King

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Women Empowerment and its Effect on Female Genital Mutilation in Sub-Sahara Africa: A study using Recent Demographic Health Surveys

Koray,

Mugisha

2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundWomen empowerment can enhance and improve women decsions and will power to negotiate and stand against sensitive issues that affect women’s health and sexuality. Practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) are generally sensitive issues that requires education and holistic interventions to enable its eradication, particularly in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), where the practice is still pervasive. This study investigated the effect of women empowerment, using the Survey-base Women Empowerment (SWPER) Global index, on FGM in selected countries in SSA.MethodsThe study employed cross-sectional design using the most recent Demographic Health Survey (DHS) data from 10 SSA countries. A total of 49501 women who were either married or living with a partner and have a daughter age 0 – 14 years who is either circumcised or not. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to examine the association between women empowerment and daughter with FGM, and countries. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the predictors of FGM at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05 and 95% confidence interval. Complex survey design was considered in the analysis.Results49,501 participants were included in the study and 47.96% exhibited a positive attitude towards violence. Empowerment in SWPER domains were significantly associated with FGM (p < 0.0001), with Kenya and Tanzania exhibiting high levels of women empowerments and low prevalence of FGM. Medium and highly-empowered mothers had significantly lower odds of having a child with FGM in the bivariate regression models (p < 0.0001), compared to mothers with low empowerment levels. When adjusted for confounders, increasing age is associated with higher odds of FGM with mothers age 45-49 mothers having more than 4 times higher odds (AOR: 4.265, 95%CI: 3.466 – 5.248). Muslim mothers also had higher odds of having a child with FGM (AOR: 6.046; 95%CI: 5.605 – 6.521) compared to Christian mothers. An increase in the wealth index was also a protective factor against FGM (p < 0.0001). Circumcised mothers were more likely to have their female child circumcised (AOR: 5.527; 95%CI: 5.113 – 5.975) and female household heads were found to be protective factors against FGM (AOR: 0.846; 95%CI: 0.774 – 0.925).ConclusionThe study highlights a connection between women’s empowerment and FGM prevalence in SSA, highlighting the need to promote women’s autonomy and reject violence. Traditional norms and cultural support for FGM persist, particularly in Western Africa. Targeted empowerment initiatives, education, and strengthening legal frameworks can help reduce FGM prevalence.

show abstract

Health Care Providers’ Readiness to Adopt an Interactive 3D Web App in Consultations About Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Qualitative Evaluation of a Prototype

Holuszko,

Abdulcadir,

Abbott

et al. 2023

JMIR Form Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Comprehensive and appropriate health care provision to women and girls with female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) is lacking. Use of visuals in health care provider (HCP) consultations facilitates the communication of health information and its comprehension by patients. A web app featuring a 3D visualization of the genitourinary anatomy was developed to support HCPs in conferring clinical information about FGM/C to patients. Objective The aim of this study was to explore HCP perspectives on the use of visuals in discussion about FGM/C with their patients as well as to obtain their feedback on whether an interactive 3D web app showing the genitourinary anatomy would be helpful in patient consultations about FGM/C, identifying key features that are relevant to their clinical practice. Methods We evaluated the web app through a semistructured interview protocol with seven HCPs from various disciplines experienced in care for women and girls with FGM/C in migration-destination settings. Interviews were audio- and video-recorded for transcription, and were then analyzed thematically for contextualized data regarding HCPs’ willingness to use a 3D web app visualizing anatomy in FGM/C consultations with patients. Results All but one of the seven participants expressed keen interest in using this web app and its 3D visuals of anatomy in FGM/C consultations with patients. Participants shared the common contexts for the use of visuals in health care for FGM/C and the concepts they are used to support, such as to help describe a patient’s genitals after FGM/C and reinforce an understanding of clitoral anatomy, to illustrate the process of defibulation, or to explain the physiological effects of FGM/C. Participants also highlighted the benefit of using visuals that patients can relate to, expressing approval for the ability to customize the vulva by FGM/C subtype, skin tone, and complexity of the visual shown in the web app. Despite critiques that the visualization may serve to perpetuate idealistic standards for how a vulva should look, participants largely agreed on the web app’s perceived usefulness to clinical practice and beyond. Conclusions Evaluation of the web app developed in this study identified that digital tools with 3D models of the genitourinary anatomy that are accessible, informative, and customizable to any specific patient are likely to aid HCPs in communicating clinical information about FGM/C in consultations. Universal access to the web app may be particularly useful for HCPs with less experience in FGM/C. The app also prompts options for applications such as for personal use, in medical education, in patient medical records, or in legal settings. Further qualitative research with patients is required to confirm that adoption of the web app by HCPs in a consultation setting will indeed benefit patient care for women and girls with FGM/C.

show abstract

Review of Web-Based Toolkits for Health Care Practitioners Working With Women and Girls Affected by or at Risk of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

Cited by 4 publications

References 40 publications

Acceptability of a Smartphone Application to Enhance Healthcare to Female Genital Mutilation Survivors in Liberia: A Qualitative Study

Acceptability of a Smartphone Application to Enhance Healthcare to Female Genital Mutilation Survivors in Liberia: A Qualitative Study

Women Empowerment and its Effect on Female Genital Mutilation in Sub-Sahara Africa: A study using Recent Demographic Health Surveys

Health Care Providers’ Readiness to Adopt an Interactive 3D Web App in Consultations About Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Qualitative Evaluation of a Prototype

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About