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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Amany H. Refaat, PhD, Community Medicine, Suez Canal University, P.O.Box 351, Ismailia, Egypt, 012-3546245, arefaat@ismailia.ie-eg.com

Female Genital Cutting (FGC) is a harmful banned cultural practice in Egypt, which showed increased medicalization of its practice in the last decades. According to EDHS report (2001), physicians circumcised 61% of daughters. The FGC and its consequences is neither included in the medical schools curricula nor in postgraduate studies. The present study aims to estimate the main determinates of physicians practice of FGC. It hypothesizes that physicians may practice FGC for 1) cultural influence; 2) financial benefits and 3) lack of knowledge by its consequences. Methodology: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among a representative sample of Egyptian physicians. The conceptual framework of practice of FGC was tested using multiple regression analysis. Results: One hundred and twenty seven physicians participated. About one fourth of them (24%) practiced it while 20% approved it. Those were of rural origin and residence, and lacked knowledge about FGC consequences. Negative correlation was found between knowledge and both of approval and practice. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the main determinate was lack of knowledge. In spite that cultural influence had a role, however it lost its power when lack of knowledge is introduced. Financial benefits were not statistically significant. Conclusion & recommendations: The study concludes that about one fourth of Egyptian physicians approve and practice FGC out of lack of knowledge of its consequences rather than cultural influence or financial benefits. The study recommends developing a training program on the FGC and its consequences for physicians

Learning Objectives:

• 1- Describe the problem of medicalization of FGC in Egypt
• 2- Identify the determinates of its practice of FGC by physicians
• 3- Discuss an action plan to share in the fight against the practice

Keywords: Female Genital Mutilation, Physicians

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation