discussion/summary

Primary Research Article

I decided to look into a research study that focused on the complications for women in another country the suffered female gender mutilation and/or cutting and their access to healthcare. The article I found studied such a thing with Kenyan women. This study focused on Somali women in Kenya that had FGM/C for cultural reasons as young women. These women studied were then sought to interview and answer questions to lead the researchers to come to conclusions as to why these women have not had adequate healthcare and if complications arose from having FGM/C with pregnancy and personal life situations.

The researchers used a method of selecting women in the age range of 15 to 49 years old that have been living with FGM/C, while also selecting their health care providers, partners, and the community leaders with which they live with. The overall study strived to understand why these women were pressured to receive FGM/C and why the providers were willing to cut upon the young girls. Data was collected between December 2016 and November 2018 in three Kenyan communities (Somali, Abagusii, and Kuria). Interviews were then conducted on each participant that focused on ethical principles, cultural principles, risk involved, confidentiality, among other aspects that would affect the women involved in FGM/C.

After demographic data was put into an excel spreadsheet and all video recordings were translated by speakers of the Somali language, the results were concluded. The results stated that women who received FGM/C reported further complications in life that required medical intervention in order to fix. Along with this, many women were found to seek care too late or not seek care at all for their complications. Barriers to care were found and sub-categorized into four categories that included: (1) structural barriers to seeking care, (2) concerns about the quality of care received if sought, (3) socio-cultural barriers that exist within the country, and (4) the fear of legal sanctions.

Works Cited

Kimani et al. BMC International Health and Human Rights. Exploring barriers to seeking health

care among Kenyan Somali women with female genital mutilation: a qualitative study.

2020 January 20; Volume 20, Issue 1: Page 1-12.