Knowledge and opinions of North Italian health operators about female genital mutilation

Abstract

Since its creation, the Working Group on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has looked at large-scale epidemiologic investigation as the best way to monitor the evolution of FGM in Italy. Obstetricians and gynecologists have been considered the most qualified subjects to be interviewed because they have the first contact with the excised women of Africa. The first investigation, which was made in 1993, found that 50% of professionals had at least one experience with FGM patients (Grassivaro Gallo and Viviani, 1995, Female Genital Mutilation: A Public Health Issue Also in Italy. Padua: Unipress); with the second investigation, dated 1999, it was discovered that female gynecologists were more professionally involved with this problem than their male colleagues (Grassivaro Gallo and Cortesi, 1999, Linee guida per il personale medico di fronte a casi di Mutilazione Genitale Femminile (MGF), Quaderni di Ricerca, n. 5, Osservatorio Regionale Regione Veneto (ORIV), Assessorato Politiche Flussi Migratori, Venice). We now introduce the results of the third investigation. The national congresses of specific associations have been the most valuable scientific occasions to collect the opinions of professionals, coming from all parts of the country; the most recent investigation is limited to Northern Italy, but is strictly connected to a similar one in Tuscany. For this reason, the results of the two investigations give us information about the operators working in the North Italian regions. The focus of the present investigation is to evaluate the knowledge and opinions on FGM of the socio-health workers of Northern Italy (Zanotti et al., 2007, Conoscenza e Opinioni degli operatori socio-sanitari del Nord-Italia sulle Mutilazioni Genitali Femminili (MGF) (Rapporto Preliminare). Relazione all'83° Congresso Nazionale SIGO, Naples).