Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative Study
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful cultural practice with significant health consequences for affected women and girls. Due to migration and human mobility, an increasing number of women with FGM/C are presenting to healthcare facilities of western countries (including Australia)...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/5/702 |
| _version_ | 1797615293274521600 |
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| author | Olayide Ogunsiji Anita Eseosa Ogbeide Jane Ussher |
| author_facet | Olayide Ogunsiji Anita Eseosa Ogbeide Jane Ussher |
| author_sort | Olayide Ogunsiji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful cultural practice with significant health consequences for affected women and girls. Due to migration and human mobility, an increasing number of women with FGM/C are presenting to healthcare facilities of western countries (including Australia) where the practice is non-prevalent. Despite this increase in presentation, the experiences of primary healthcare providers in Australia engaging and caring for women/girls with FGM/C are yet to be explored. The aim of this research was to report on the Australian primary healthcare providers’ experiences of caring for women living with FGM/C. A qualitative interpretative phenomenological approach was utilised and convenience sampling was used to recruit 19 participants. Australian primary healthcare providers were engaged in face-to-face or telephone interviews, which were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Three major themes emerged, which were: exploring knowledge of FGM/C and training needs, understanding participants’ experience of caring for women living with FGM/C, and mapping the best practice in working with women. The study shows that primary healthcare professionals had basic knowledge of FGM/C with little or no experience with the management, support, and care of affected women in Australia. This impacted their attitude and confidence to promote, protect, and restore the target population’s overall FGM/C-related health and wellbeing issues. Hence, this study highlights the importance of primary healthcare practitioners being skilled and well-equipped with information and knowledge to care for girls and women living with FGM/C in Australia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:24:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e682d8bf95d405c9fde007c1a1a00aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:24:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e682d8bf95d405c9fde007c1a1a00aa2023-11-17T07:43:25ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-02-0111570210.3390/healthcare11050702Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative StudyOlayide Ogunsiji0Anita Eseosa Ogbeide1Jane Ussher2School of Nursing and Midwifery, Liverpool Campus, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, AustraliaSchool of Health Sciences, Campbelltown Campus, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, AustraliaTranslational Health Research Institute (THRI), School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, AustraliaFemale genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful cultural practice with significant health consequences for affected women and girls. Due to migration and human mobility, an increasing number of women with FGM/C are presenting to healthcare facilities of western countries (including Australia) where the practice is non-prevalent. Despite this increase in presentation, the experiences of primary healthcare providers in Australia engaging and caring for women/girls with FGM/C are yet to be explored. The aim of this research was to report on the Australian primary healthcare providers’ experiences of caring for women living with FGM/C. A qualitative interpretative phenomenological approach was utilised and convenience sampling was used to recruit 19 participants. Australian primary healthcare providers were engaged in face-to-face or telephone interviews, which were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Three major themes emerged, which were: exploring knowledge of FGM/C and training needs, understanding participants’ experience of caring for women living with FGM/C, and mapping the best practice in working with women. The study shows that primary healthcare professionals had basic knowledge of FGM/C with little or no experience with the management, support, and care of affected women in Australia. This impacted their attitude and confidence to promote, protect, and restore the target population’s overall FGM/C-related health and wellbeing issues. Hence, this study highlights the importance of primary healthcare practitioners being skilled and well-equipped with information and knowledge to care for girls and women living with FGM/C in Australia.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/5/702female genital mutilation/cuttingprimary healthcare providersexperienceseducation and trainingAustralian healthcare |
| spellingShingle | Olayide Ogunsiji Anita Eseosa Ogbeide Jane Ussher Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative Study Healthcare female genital mutilation/cutting primary healthcare providers experiences education and training Australian healthcare |
| title | Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Experiences of Primary Healthcare Workers in Australia towards Women and Girls Living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | experiences of primary healthcare workers in australia towards women and girls living with female genital mutilation cutting fgm c a qualitative study |
| topic | female genital mutilation/cutting primary healthcare providers experiences education and training Australian healthcare |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/5/702 |
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