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Prevalence and associated factors of Female genital mutilation among reproductive age women’s of Wolayita Zone, Southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study, 2018
Anjulo BB, Lambebo AF ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence and factors associated with female genital mutilation (FGM) among 333 reproductive-age women in Wolayita Zone, Ethiopia. Researchers found that 88.9% of women had undergone FGM, with older age and strong support for tradition identified as independent risk factors. The study recommends integrated community interventions to reduce FGM through women's empowerment and public awareness.
Key points
- FGM prevalence in Wolayita Zone was 88.9% (296 out of 333 women)
- Older age was independently associated with FGM (AOR: 1.86, 95% CI: 0.42–0.98)
- Support for tradition was strongly associated with FGM (AOR: 14.595, 95% CI: 3.391–6.807)
- Clitoridoctomy is the most common type of FGM in Ethiopia
- Study recommends empowering women and sensitizing community members to reject FGM
Limitations
This is a descriptive prevalence study with no comparison group and no evaluation of any intervention. It cannot tell us about the effectiveness of approaches to reduce FGM or causal mechanisms beyond the measured associations.
Abstract
Background: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is estimated to have been practiced on at least 200 million girls and women in 30 countries around the world. Clitoridoctomy is the most common type of FGM in Ethiopia. Objectives The aim of the study was to assess the magnitude of Female Genital Mutilation and associated factors among women’s of Wolayita zone. Methods A community-based quantitative cross-sectional study was used. Face-to-face interviews with prepared questionnaires were used to collect data. SPSS version 20 software was used to analyze the data. The prevalence of FGM was determined using descriptive statistics. The researchers utilized a bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model to find independent determinants of FGM. Result 296 women were circumcised out of a total of 333, indicating that FGM is prevalent in the research area (88.9%). age (AOR-1.86, 95% CI: 0.42–0.98) and support for tradition (AOR: 14.595, 95% CI: 3.391–6.807) were all independently linked to FGM. Conclusion An integrated effort administrative and surrounding community intervention to be initiated to alleviate FGM practices through empowering women, discouraging risky factors like traditions; and sensitizing parents, community members and the public focusing on the rejecting of FGM.