PREVALENCE, KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATILATION AND CUTTING (FGM/C) AMONG MEN IN KHARTOUM STATE FOR THE YEAR 2022
Keywords:
Global Health, Female Circumcision, FemalesAbstract
ABSTRACT:
Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a common practice in developing countries, including Sudan, and presents a major health problem.
Methods: In this study, we aimed to assess prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practice towards FGM/C among men age 18-50 years in Khartoum state, Sudan. Community based cross-sectional study was conducted in selected cities of Khartoum state, Sudan. Socio-demographic characteristics, prevalence of FGM in the families of targeted men, knowledge about the ill health effect of FGM, men attitude towards the practice and other information was collected from 289 systematically selected men by using a pre-tested structured questionnaire .
Results: A total of 289 men were included in the study of which about (91%) of them were within the age group 18-30 years. The majority were originally from Al-Gazira (70%) and Al-Shimalia state (67%) and (99.3%) were Muslims. Most (82.3%) of the participants studied till university level and (0.3%) stopped at primary school. (28.5%) of the respondents say that all females in their families underwent circumcision, (22.6%) said that some of them underwent circumcision, (25,3%) said that none of them underwent it and (23.6) said that they don’t know whether females in their families' undergone circumcision or not. Of those who had daughters (14.9%) never expose anyone of their daughters to circumcision. Majority (83%) of the men reported the unimportance of marrying a circumcised woman for them as well as (81.9%) refusing to marry a one. More than three quarters (80%) of the men reported the practice should be stopped and only (10%) of men supported that FGM/C should be maintained in the society. (81%) agreed that they will never expose their future daughters to circumcision versus (19%) of the men had the intention of exposing their future daughters to the mildest form of Sunni type FGM/C practice.
Conclusion: The prevalence of FGM/C was found to be high among the females in the families of the respondents, but there is a trend among the males of this generation and the future generation towards stopping FGM/C practice in their communities.
Keywords: Attitude; female genital mutilation; knowledge; practice; prevalence; Sudan
Graph: Shows the overall Knowledge score about FGM.
The overall Knowledge score was the highest in a moderate level (34%). While good were only (1%).
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