%0 Journal Article
%T Awareness of Health Risks of Female Genital Mutilation Among Women of Child Bearing Age in Two Rural Communities in Nigeria
%A O. Okhiai
%A O.B. Idonije
%A E.C. Asika
%J Asian Journal of Medical Sciences
%D 2011
%I 
%X Female genital mutilation has been found to be associated with myriad of physical, emotional and social health risks and the awareness of the consequences of these risks is paramount to the successful cubing/stoppage of the health danger pose by this harmful cultural practice. Hence this research was carried out to ascertain the awareness of health risks of female genital mutilation among women of child bearing age in two rural communities in South-Eastern Nigeria. Structured interview guide was the main instrument of data collection and was structured to meet the said goal of this research and Validity of the instrument was also ensured. Four stage simple random sampling procedure were used to draw the sample size of three hundred and eighty women of child bearing age in these communities. Descriptive statistics of frequency, percentages, grand mean and inferential statistics of Chi-square were used in data analysis. It was found that majority of the respondents (62.4%) were not aware of the physical, emotional and social health risks of female genital mutilation, but few are aware based on level of education, parity status and age. Recommendations made based on the findings were that the federal, state and local governments should enact and enforce laws that will prohibit female genital mutilation in Nigeria while women leaders organize interactive sessions during their meeting days to educate women on the risks associated with female genital mutilation.
%K Child bearing age
%K clitoris
%K female genital mutilation
%K vagina
%K vulva
%U http://www.maxwellsci.com/jp/abstract.php?jid=AJMS&no=161&abs=01