Peer-reviewed article
“Nurses and health professionals facing female genital mutilation: a qualitative study “
María Idoia Ugarte Gurrutxaga, Victoria Mazoteras Pardo, Gonzalo Melgar de Corral, Brígida Molina Gallego, Laura Mordillo‐Mateos et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This qualitative study examined how nurses and other health professionals in Spain understand and respond to female genital mutilation (FGM). Researchers interviewed 47 health professionals including nurses, midwives, pediatricians, and gynecologists. While most knew about Spanish laws on FGM, few were aware of regional prevention protocols, and many viewed FGM as a private matter rather than a protection issue. The study concludes that better training for health professionals, particularly midwives and pediatricians, is needed to identify and prevent FGM.
Key points
- Most health professionals were aware of current FGM legislation in Spain, but only a few knew about the FGM prevention protocol in Castilla-La Mancha
- Health professionals' perception that FGM is a private matter contributed to missed opportunities for identification and prevention
- The lack of knowledge and awareness created barriers to professional action against FGM
- Midwives and pediatricians were identified as professional groups needing essential training on FGM
- Training for health professionals is presented as essential for identification and action against FGM
Limitations
This study identifies what health professionals know and believe about FGM but does not evaluate whether training improves their ability to identify or prevent it. The findings are specific to Spain and may not apply to other countries with different health systems and FGM prevalence.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Transnational migratory movements make Spain a country with a very diverse population, including women and girls from countries where Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is practiced. Given this reality, we set out to carry out a qualitative study to identify the knowledge, attitudes and skills of health professionals regarding FGM. METHOD: Qualitative study with a content analysis approach. Forty-seven health professionals with the profiles of Nursing, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Midwifery and Gynecology and Obstetrics were purposively selected. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus groups. The qualitative content analysis approach was used for data analysis. The study was conducted in the years 2019 and 2022. RESULTS: Although most professionals are aware of the current legislation on FGM in Spain, only a few of them are aware of the existence of the FGM prevention protocol in Castilla-La Mancha. This lack of knowledge together with the perception that FGM belongs to the private sphere of women, contributes to the loss of opportunities to identify and prevent FGM. CONCLUSION: Health professionals' training, especially midwives and pediatricians, is essential to the identification and action against Female Genital Mutilation.