Research, service and education: Crafting collaborative linkages to address female genital cutting

The U.S. is home to increasing numbers of refugees and immigrants from countries where Female Genital Cutting (FGC) is practiced. Hence, providers must acquire the knowledge and skills to meet the unique needs of this population. Approximately 31,000 FGC-affected or at-risk women reside in the Midwest Region V of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Given the negative consequences of FGC and the increasing numbers of affected women in our service area, the Midwest Network on FGC (MNFGC) was formed in 2005. This interdisciplinary effort focuses on risk reduction and provision of high quality, compassionate care for affected women. Since its inception, MNFGC members, including clinicians, service providers, researchers, and community members have provided services to local hospitals, and medical and nursing schools to raise awareness about culturally and scientifically sound care for FGC-affected women.

This presentation will highlight research, service, and education initiatives of the MNFGC. Presenters will share results from research, including a mixed-methods study of Somali immigrants in Ohio and a qualitative study of Ethiopian women in Illinois. Both studies explore health care utilization and reproductive health experiences within the context of FGC. A new Chicago-based initiative that employs a Primary Health Care approach to working with FGC-affected women will be discussed.

FGC is a public health and human rights issue. To our knowledge, ours is the first coordinated effort to address FGC across a DHHS region. This initiative can serve as an interdisciplinary model for advocacy, research, and best-practices needed to address FGC.