Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experience
This research analyses the narratives of 33 parents in the United States concerning their decisions to circumcise or not circumcise their children. The United States differs from other nations in the Global North due to its comparatively high rates of male neonatal circumcision, a procedure that is...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | SSM: Qualitative Research in Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321522000944 |
| _version_ | 1828164305190649856 |
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| author | Karli M. Reeves Joanna Mishtal |
| author_facet | Karli M. Reeves Joanna Mishtal |
| author_sort | Karli M. Reeves |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This research analyses the narratives of 33 parents in the United States concerning their decisions to circumcise or not circumcise their children. The United States differs from other nations in the Global North due to its comparatively high rates of male neonatal circumcision, a procedure that is performed as preventative surgery, rather than for cultural or religious indications. However, in recent years, rates of circumcision have begun to decline. This study sought to gain a nuanced understanding of these trends by examining the factors that influenced the parents in our sample. The results show that parents' circumcision decisions were affected by their evaluations of the procedure's medical risks and benefits, their considerations of the relationship between being circumcised, hygiene, and health, as well as their interactions with healthcare providers. Also relevant to their decision were their experiences circumcising previous children. Interviews with five key informants, including medical providers and trained childbirth assistants, offer further context to findings regarding the sometimes-unequal power dynamics between providers and parents. The results in this study also raise questions about the extent of informed consent for this procedure. Overall, the findings in this research offer valuable insights into parents' decision-making processes about male circumcision. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:24:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bbd8cdddf3864b6b9ef5854c9500806a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2667-3215 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:24:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SSM: Qualitative Research in Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-bbd8cdddf3864b6b9ef5854c9500806a2022-12-22T03:53:42ZengElsevierSSM: Qualitative Research in Health2667-32152022-12-012100132Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experienceKarli M. Reeves0Joanna Mishtal1Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA; Corresponding author. University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., BBS 121, USA.Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USAThis research analyses the narratives of 33 parents in the United States concerning their decisions to circumcise or not circumcise their children. The United States differs from other nations in the Global North due to its comparatively high rates of male neonatal circumcision, a procedure that is performed as preventative surgery, rather than for cultural or religious indications. However, in recent years, rates of circumcision have begun to decline. This study sought to gain a nuanced understanding of these trends by examining the factors that influenced the parents in our sample. The results show that parents' circumcision decisions were affected by their evaluations of the procedure's medical risks and benefits, their considerations of the relationship between being circumcised, hygiene, and health, as well as their interactions with healthcare providers. Also relevant to their decision were their experiences circumcising previous children. Interviews with five key informants, including medical providers and trained childbirth assistants, offer further context to findings regarding the sometimes-unequal power dynamics between providers and parents. The results in this study also raise questions about the extent of informed consent for this procedure. Overall, the findings in this research offer valuable insights into parents' decision-making processes about male circumcision.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321522000944Male circumcisionNeonatal circumcisionInformed consentMedical authorityUnited States |
| spellingShingle | Karli M. Reeves Joanna Mishtal Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experience SSM: Qualitative Research in Health Male circumcision Neonatal circumcision Informed consent Medical authority United States |
| title | Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experience |
| title_full | Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experience |
| title_fullStr | Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experience |
| title_full_unstemmed | Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experience |
| title_short | Situating parents’ circumcision decision-making within health research, knowledge, and experience |
| title_sort | situating parents circumcision decision making within health research knowledge and experience |
| topic | Male circumcision Neonatal circumcision Informed consent Medical authority United States |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321522000944 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karlimreeves situatingparentscircumcisiondecisionmakingwithinhealthresearchknowledgeandexperience AT joannamishtal situatingparentscircumcisiondecisionmakingwithinhealthresearchknowledgeandexperience |