The impact of health education on attitudes of parents and religious leaders towards female genital mutilation

Abdulah, DM; Dawson, A; Sedo, BA

The impact of health education on attitudes of parents and religious leaders towards female genital mutilation

Abdulah, DM

Dawson, A

Sedo, BA

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2020, 46 (1), pp. 51 - 58
Issue Date:: 2020-01-01

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Accepted ManuscriptAdobe PDF (289.38 kB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Abdulah, DM https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8986-5793	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Dawson, A https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0926-2202	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sedo, BA	en_US
dc.date.available	2019-09-29	en_US
dc.date.issued	2020-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2020, 46 (1), pp. 51 - 58	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	2515-1991	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/136658
dc.description.abstract	© 2020 Author(s). Background Previous studies conducted in Iraqi Kurdistan have reported that parent's decisions to circumcise their daughters are based on religious or cultural beliefs. Despite the widespread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), the effectiveness of educational strategies to change attitudes towards FGM has not been examined in this region. The present investigation examined the effectiveness of a short-term educational intervention to change the attitudes of parents and religious leaders towards FGM. Methods 192 Mullahs (religious leaders), 212 Mokhtars (traditional leaders) and 523 parents in rural areas in Iraqi Kurdistan were invited to participate in a pre- A nd post-test community-based interventional study in 2017. The Health Belief Model informed the intervention, and participants' attitudes were compared across two stages of the study. Results The attitudes of Mullahs, Mokhtars and parents substantially changed from a position of supporting female circumcision to expressing a wish to abandon the practice and not cut their future daughters (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.42; OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.04 and OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.18, respectively). Conclusions The present study suggests that brief educational interventions can be an effective strategy for changing the attitudes of parents and public leaders towards FGM. Health education is a useful strategy for changing attitudes. However, such interventions must be delivered alongside other strategies to ensure a multifaceted approach to addressing complex social dynamics. A comprehensive public health approach is, therefore, necessary that includes legal measures, community-based action and an appropriate health system approach.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1136/bmjsrh-2018-200211	en_US
dc.title	The impact of health education on attitudes of parents and religious leaders towards female genital mutilation	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	46	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - WHO CC
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	46	en_US

Abstract:

© 2020 Author(s). Background Previous studies conducted in Iraqi Kurdistan have reported that parent's decisions to circumcise their daughters are based on religious or cultural beliefs. Despite the widespread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), the effectiveness of educational strategies to change attitudes towards FGM has not been examined in this region. The present investigation examined the effectiveness of a short-term educational intervention to change the attitudes of parents and religious leaders towards FGM. Methods 192 Mullahs (religious leaders), 212 Mokhtars (traditional leaders) and 523 parents in rural areas in Iraqi Kurdistan were invited to participate in a pre- A nd post-test community-based interventional study in 2017. The Health Belief Model informed the intervention, and participants' attitudes were compared across two stages of the study. Results The attitudes of Mullahs, Mokhtars and parents substantially changed from a position of supporting female circumcision to expressing a wish to abandon the practice and not cut their future daughters (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.42; OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.04 and OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.18, respectively). Conclusions The present study suggests that brief educational interventions can be an effective strategy for changing the attitudes of parents and public leaders towards FGM. Health education is a useful strategy for changing attitudes. However, such interventions must be delivered alongside other strategies to ensure a multifaceted approach to addressing complex social dynamics. A comprehensive public health approach is, therefore, necessary that includes legal measures, community-based action and an appropriate health system approach.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/136658