Female Genital Cutting: Clinical knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices from a Provider survey in the US

Migration from countries where female genital cutting (FGC) is practiced means women’s healthcare providers need to meet this population’s unique healthcare needs. We explored providers’ FGC-related experience, knowledge of the cultural practice, prior training, attitudes towards medicalization, inc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of immigrant and minority health 2019-10, Vol.21 (5), p.954-964
Main Authors: Lane, Jessica L., Johnson-Agbakwu, Crista E., Warren, Nicole, Budhathoki, Chakra, Cole, Eugene C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitudes
Circumcision, Female - ethnology
Clinical medicine
Clinical training
Comparative Law
Curricula
Cutting
Educational programs
Email
Female
Female circumcision
Females
Health care
Health care industry
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Personnel - education
Health services
Humans
Interdisciplinary aspects
International & Foreign Law
Male
Medicalization
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mentoring
Migration
Needs
ORIGINAL PAPER
Polls & surveys
Private International Law
Professional associations
Public Health
Sociology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Training
Women
Women's Health
Womens health
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Summary:Migration from countries where female genital cutting (FGC) is practiced means women’s healthcare providers need to meet this population’s unique healthcare needs. We explored providers’ FGC-related experience, knowledge of the cultural practice, prior training, attitudes towards medicalization, including reinfibulation, and clinical practice. An online, 53-question survey to a multidisciplinary sample of women’s health providers in the US were recruited by email via professional organizations, medical departments, and the authors’ professional networks. From a total of 508 usable surveys, nearly half of respondents did not receive formal FGC training, but a majority had cared for FGC-affected women in their practice. A ‘know-do’ gap existed with managing infibulated patients; and surgical defibulation procedures were not routinely offered. Most respondents (79%, n = 402) reported a desire for additional education. Women’s healthcare providers in the US, regardless of disciplinary backgrounds, are inadequately prepared to meet the needs of FGC-affected women. To address these, FGC content needs to be embedded in educational and training curricula, and ongoing clinical mentorship made available.
ISSN:1557-1912
1557-1920
DOI:10.1007/s10903-018-0833-3