Connor Jennifer Jo, Abdikeir Kalthum, Chaisson Nicole, Brady Sonya S, Chen Muzi, Abdi Cawo, Salad Munira, Johnson-Agbakwu Crista E, Hussein Intisar, Afey Foos, Pergament Shannon, Robinson Beatrice Bean E
Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Qual Health Res. 2025 Feb;35(2):234-247. doi: 10.1177/10497323241257094. Epub 2024 Aug 8.
The past decades have seen large numbers of Somali women migrate across the globe. It is critical for healthcare workers in host countries to understand healthcare needs of Somali women. The majority of Somali female migrants experience female genital cutting (FGC). The most common type in Somalia is Type 3 or infibulation, the narrowing of the vaginal introitus. Deinfibulation opens the introitus to reduce poor health outcomes and/or allow for vaginal births. In this study, we explored the perspectives of Somali women living in the United States about deinfibulation. We recruited 75 Somali women who had experienced FGC through community-based participatory research methods. Bilingual community researchers conducted qualitative interviews in Somali or English. University faculty and community-based researchers coded data together in a participatory-analysis process. We identified four themes. (1) Personal Views: participants reported positive attitudes toward deinfibulation and varied on the appropriateness of deinfibulation before marriage. (2) Benefits: identified benefits included alleviation of health problems; improved sexual health, in particular reduction or prevention of sexual pain; and reclamation of body and womanhood. (3) Barriers: these included associated stigma and lack of knowledge by providers. (4) Decision-Making: most reported that husbands, healthcare providers, and elder female community members may provide advice about if and/or when to seek deinfibulation, though some felt deinfibulation decisions are solely up to the impacted woman. An ecological framework is used to frame the findings and identify the importance of healthcare workers in assisting women who have been infibulated make decisions.
在过去几十年里，大量索马里女性移民到世界各地。对于东道国的医护人员来说，了解索马里女性的医疗保健需求至关重要。大多数索马里女性移民都经历过女性生殖器切割（FGC）。索马里最常见的类型是3型或阴部扣锁法，即阴道入口变窄。阴部扣锁法切开术打开阴道入口以减少不良健康后果和/或允许顺产。在本研究中，我们探讨了生活在美国的索马里女性对阴部扣锁法切开术的看法。我们通过基于社区的参与性研究方法招募了75名经历过女性生殖器切割的索马里女性。双语社区研究人员用索马里语或英语进行了定性访谈。大学教员和社区研究人员在一个参与性分析过程中共同对数据进行编码。我们确定了四个主题。（1）个人观点：参与者对阴部扣锁法切开术持积极态度，对婚前阴部扣锁法切开术的适当性看法不一。（2）益处：确定的益处包括缓解健康问题；改善性健康，特别是减少或预防性疼痛；以及恢复身体和女性身份。（3）障碍：这些包括相关的耻辱感和提供者缺乏知识。（4）决策：大多数人报告说，丈夫、医护人员和年长的女性社区成员可能会就是否和/或何时寻求阴部扣锁法切开术提供建议，不过有些人认为阴部扣锁法切开术的决定完全取决于受影响的女性。我们使用一个生态框架来阐述研究结果，并确定医护人员在协助接受过阴部扣锁法手术的女性做出决定方面的重要性。
