Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanita
Volume 50, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 49-53

Health care for immigrant women in Italy: Are we really ready? A survey on knowledge about female genital mutilation (Article)

Caroppo E.* , Almadori A. , Giannuzzi V. , Brogna P. , Diodati A. , Bria P.
  • a Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
  • b Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
  • c Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
  • d Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
  • e Croce Rossa Italiana, Rome, Italy
  • f Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy

Abstract

Background. Because of immigration, female genital mutilation (FGM) is an issue of increasing concern in western countries. Nevertheless operators without a specific training may ignore the health condition of women subjected to this practice and fail to provide them adequate assistance. The purpose of the study was to estimate the current knowledge about FGM among social and health care assistants working with asylum seeker. Material and methods. From October to December 2012, a questionnaire was used to interview 41 operators working in CARA (Shelter for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) in central and southern Italy. Results. Only 7.3% of respondents states to know well FGM, while 4.9% do not know it at all. 70.7% declare to have never met or assisted a woman with FGM, nevertheless all respondents work with asylum seeker from countries where FGM are performed. Conclusions. Migration fluxes to Italy over the past decade created a healthcare challenge: women with FGM have specific medical and psychological problems that doctors, nurses and social assistants without specific training are not usually able to manage.

Author Keywords

Female genital cutting Migration Women's health Female genital mutilation Survey Transcultural medicine Infibulations

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84898722694&doi=10.4415%2fANN-14-01-08&partnerID=40&md5=ad391950f260c153cc6b70a849ccee28
DOI: 10.4415/ANN-14-01-08
ISSN: 00212571
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English