Effect of living conditions on genital mutilation practices among adolescent girls in West Africa: A pooled analysis from demographic and health surveys

Despite commitments and interventions, Female Genital Mutilations (FGM) practice persists in West African countries. This research analyzes the effect of living conditions on FGM practice. Data were sourced from thirty-four demographic and health surveys conducted between 1995 and 2020 in 12 countri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:African journal of reproductive health 2022-12, Vol.26 (12s), p.27-37
Main Authors: Acotcheou, Pacome E., Saizonou, Jacques Z., Affo, Alphonse M., Dansou, Justin, Makoutode, Patrick
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescents
Africa, Western
Circumcision, Female
Demography
Education
Female
Female circumcision
Female genital mutilation
Genital mutilation
Genitalia
Girls
Health surveys
Humans
Impact
Living conditions
Minority & ethnic groups
Prevalence
Regression analysis
Religion
Reproductive health
Social Conditions
Teenagers
Variables
West Africa
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Summary:Despite commitments and interventions, Female Genital Mutilations (FGM) practice persists in West African countries. This research analyzes the effect of living conditions on FGM practice. Data were sourced from thirty-four demographic and health surveys conducted between 1995 and 2020 in 12 countries. The study sample consisted of 69,971 adolescent girls aged 15-19 years. Meta-regression analysis and binary logistic regression analyses showed the effect and relative contribution of study covariates on the phenomenon. The overall average prevalence of FGM is 40.7%, with a mixed effect of living conditions on FGM practice. The factors associated with FGM practice are, in order of importance, religion, level of education, ethnicity and place of residence. All factors have a direct effect on the studied phenomenon, and the level of education acts as an inhibiter of the effect of living conditions. The study suggests the need to strengthen the involvement of religious, traditional and community leaders in the definition and implementation of actions to combat FGM, as well as girl’s education, especially by maintaining them in school till completion of at least secondary school.
ISSN:1118-4841
1118-4841
DOI:10.29063/ajrh2022/v26i12s.4