ABSTRACT
We explored the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of 330 5th year medical students in Alexandria University towards female genital mutilation (FGM). The students' basic knowledge about the practice of FGM was unsatisfactory. Students were unaware of the prevalence of FGM in Egypt and the practices and procedures of FGM. They were also poorly informed about the complications of FGM, and the ethical and legal aspects of FGM in the country. As a result, 52.0% of the students supported the continuation of the practice and 73.2% were in favour of its "medicalization" as a strategy for reducing the risks of FGM. Most students (86.9%) thought that the issue of FGM should be incorporated into the undergraduate medical curriculum.
Subject(s)
Attitude to Health , Circumcision, Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Students, Medical/psychology , Adult , Attitude to Health/ethnology , Christianity/psychology , Circumcision, Female/adverse effects , Circumcision, Female/ethnology , Circumcision, Female/methods , Circumcision, Female/statistics & numerical data , Clinical Competence , Cross-Sectional Studies , Curriculum , Education, Medical, Undergraduate , Egypt , Female , Health Priorities , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Islam/psychology , Male , Social Problems , Surveys and Questionnaires , Urban Population , Women's Health , Women's RightsABSTRACT
We explored the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of 330 5th year medical students in Alexandria University towards female genital mutilation [FGM]. The students' basic knowledge about the practice of FGM was unsatisfactory. Students were unaware of the prevalence of FGM in Egypt and the practices and procedures of FGM. They were also poorly informed about the complications of FGM, and the ethical and legal aspects of FGM in the country. As a result, 52.0% of the students supported the continuation of the practice and 73.2% were in favour of its "medicalization" as a strategy for reducing the risks of FGM. Most students [86.9%] thought that the issue of FGM should be incorporated into the undergraduate medical curriculum
