Determinants of disagreement with female genital mutilation/cutting of future daughters and awareness of the ban among Egyptian university students.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Egypt is one of three countries where half of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) victims live, despite its ban. To inform policy on the awareness of this ban and the impact of other interventions, this study sought to assess FGM/C-related knowledge, perceptions, and determinants of disagreement with FGM/C and circumcision of future daughters among university students. METHODS:A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire in a random sample of 502 male and female students in Menoufia University between September and December 2017. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS:Students were 21.0?±?1.6?years old; 270 (54.0%) were males, 291 (58.0%) were non-medical students, and 292 (58.2%) were rural residents. 204 (46.7%) students were not aware of the ban and their main source of information about FGM/C was educational curricula or health education sessions (162, 37.0%). Only 95 (19.0%) students had good knowledge about FGM/C. 217 (43.3%) students were neutral towards discontinuing FGM/C. 280 (56.2%) students disagreed with FGM/C. 296 (59.3%) students disagreed with circumcision of their future daughters; independent determinants of this outcome were awareness of the ban (ORa?=?1.9) and disagreement with: FGM/C preserves females' virginity (ORa?=?5.0), has religious basis (ORa?=?3.8), makes females happier in marriage (ORa?=?3.5), enhances females' hygiene (ORa?=?2.1). CONCLUSIONS:Knowledge about FGM/C and its ban is low, even in this educated population. FGM/C is still misperceived as a religious percept. Maximizing the utilization of health education and curricula might help increase anti-FGM/C attitudes among university students with neutral perceptions and initiate the much-needed momentum for elimination.

SUBMITTER: Mostafa A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7288485 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature