Mother’s Awareness towards Health Consequences of Female Circumcision in Rural Community

Abstract

Abstract: Female circumcision is a harmful traditional practice with severe consequences for the health and wellbeing of girls and women Aim: this study aimed to assess mother's awareness towards health consequences of female circumcision in rural community. Design: A descriptive design was used to conduct this study. Setting: This study was carried out at seven maternal and child health centres affiliated to Ministry of Health in El-Qualiobia governorate.Sample: A purposive sample of 300 mothers having female daughter’s from 7 to 15 years done circumcision or not.Tool: for data collection, a structured an interviewing questionnaire divided into five parts, socio-demographic data of mothers, history of female circumcision in family, mothers knowledge& reported practicestoward circumcision and its health consequences and mothers attitude toward causes leading to female circumcision. Results of the study revealed that: 33.3% of the studied mothers aged from 30 to <35 years, 70.3% of them perform circumcision for their daughters. 55.5% of daughters had health consequences after circumcision.Regarding mother's knowledge 25.7% of them had correct knowledge toward female circumcision. 65.3% of studied mothers had positive attitude toward female circumcision.Conclusion: The present study showed there was a statistically significant relation between mothers' socio-demographic characteristics and their total score of practices, there was a highly significant positive correlation between total level of mother's knowledge and their total score of attitude. Recommendation: Health education programs for increasing mother's awareness of about female circumcision and its health consequences at all maternal and child health (MCH) centres and maternal outpatient clinics.