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

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the following individuals for their assistance with this study - Ruby Nguyen, John Himes, and Robin Councilman with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Funding

University of Minnesota J.B. Hawley Student Research Award.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 8513 W 132nd St, Savage, Minneapolis, MN, 55378, USA

    Jessica L. Lane

  2. Refugee Women’s Health Clinic, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maricopa Integrated Health System and Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Crista E. Johnson-Agbakwu

  3. Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Nicole Warren & Chakra Budhathoki

  4. Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

    Eugene C. Cole

Authors
  1. Jessica L. Lane
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  2. Crista E. Johnson-Agbakwu
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  5. Eugene C. Cole
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jessica L. Lane.

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Lane, J.L., Johnson-Agbakwu, C.E., Warren, N. et al. Female Genital Cutting: Clinical knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices from a Provider survey in the US. J Immigrant Minority Health 21, 954–964 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0833-3

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