School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 8513 W 132nd St, Savage, Minneapolis, MN, 55378, USA.
Refugee Women's Health Clinic, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maricopa Integrated Health System and Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
J Immigr Minor Health. 2019 Oct;21(5):954-964. doi: 10.1007/s10903-018-0833-3.
Migration from countries where female genital cutting (FGC) is practiced means women's healthcare providers need to meet this population's unique healthcare needs. We explored providers' FGC-related experience, knowledge of the cultural practice, prior training, attitudes towards medicalization, including reinfibulation, and clinical practice. An online, 53-question survey to a multidisciplinary sample of women's health providers in the US were recruited by email via professional organizations, medical departments, and the authors' professional networks. From a total of 508 usable surveys, nearly half of respondents did not receive formal FGC training, but a majority had cared for FGC-affected women in their practice. A 'know-do' gap existed with managing infibulated patients; and surgical defibulation procedures were not routinely offered. Most respondents (79%, n = 402) reported a desire for additional education. Women's healthcare providers in the US, regardless of disciplinary backgrounds, are inadequately prepared to meet the needs of FGC-affected women. To address these, FGC content needs to be embedded in educational and training curricula, and ongoing clinical mentorship made available.
从施行女性生殖器切割（FGC）的国家移民意味着女性医疗保健提供者需要满足这一人群的独特医疗需求。我们探讨了提供者与 FGC 相关的经验、对这种文化习俗的了解、先前的培训、对包括再缝合术在内的医学化的态度，以及临床实践。我们通过电子邮件向美国多学科的女性健康提供者样本发送了一份在线的、包含 53 个问题的调查问卷，招募对象是通过专业组织、医疗部门和作者的专业网络。在总共 508 份可用的调查问卷中，近一半的受访者没有接受过正式的 FGC 培训，但大多数人在实践中照顾过受 FGC 影响的女性。在管理接受过缝合术的患者方面存在“知易行难”的问题；而且，通常不提供外科切开术。大多数受访者（79%，n=402）表示希望接受更多教育。美国的女性健康提供者，无论其学科背景如何，都没有充分准备好满足受 FGC 影响的女性的需求。为了解决这些问题，FGC 的相关内容需要纳入教育和培训课程，并提供持续的临床指导。
