Journal of Health & Medical Informatics

Female Genital Mutilation and Associated Factors in GonchaSiso-Enessie District, East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia (2012)

Abstract

Andualem M*

Abstract Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting is the partial or total removal of the femaleexternal genitalia for various reasons using different cutting materials. It is estimated that more than 130 million girls and women alive today had undergone Female genital cutting, primarily in Africa and to a lesser extent in the Middle East. The prevalence of female genital cutting practices in Ethiopia is 74.3% and in Amhara region, it is 68.5%. Methods: A cross sectional study using both quantitative and qualitative approaches wasconducted to assess the prevalence and associated factors for female genital cutting. Pretested structured self-administered questionnaire and interview guidelines were used to collect the required data on different variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify then determinants of female genital cutting. Strength of the association was assessed using odds ratio with 95% Confidence Level. Results: A total of 730 mothers with the mean Standard Deviation age of 29 ± 7 standarddeviation were participated in the study. The prevalence of Female genital cutting was higher, 62.7% on under five daughters in the study area. Health education (AOR=0.19; 95%, CI=0.08-0.45), age 15-24 years [AOR (95%CI)=0.20 (0.06-0.64)], women’s educational status [AOR (95%CI)=5.43 (1.88, 55.68)], women themselves circumcised [AOR (95%CI)=3.45 (1.35, 8.79)] and criminal [AOR (95%CI)=0.37 (0.16, 0.86)] were found significantly associated with female genital cutting. Conclusions: Female genital cutting was highly practiced among rural women than urban. Age,educational status, residence, being circumcised, health education, knowledge on female denial cutting and believing it as criminal were found to be determinants of female genital cutting.