Assessment of Opportunities and Expert Counselling Intervention for Persons With Female Genital Cutting in Oyo State, Nigeria

Dr Christine E. Udoh-Emokhare, Prof Ifeoma M Isiugo-Abanihe

Study Objective: Female genital cutting (FGC) has been identified as one of the most common harmful traditional practices that affect females’ psychological well-being in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to establish the existence of psychological complications due to FGC; and the provision of opportunities and expert counselling especially for those at the adolescent stage.

Design: The Input-Process-Outcome evaluation model and the survey research design were adopted. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select participants for the study. Two qualitative (FGC In-depth Interview and FGC Focus Group Discussion Guides) and one quantitative instrument (Female Genital Cutting Update Training Rating Scale [FGC-UDTRS]) were developed by the researchers; while a second quantitative instrument (FGC Opportunities and Expert Counselling Rating Scale [FGC-OECRS]) was adapted for collection of data from relevant respondents.

Setting: Healthcare providers were engaged in one-on-one discussions on the existence of psychological complications due to FGC, especially among females with FGC in their adolescence years; while females with FGC participated in focus group discussion sessions to express their views on FGC and psychological experiences associated with the practice. Relevant quantitative instruments were administered to both groups of participants to establish the outcome of update training on opportunities and expert counselling assessed by HCPs for the provision of psychosocial support services.

Participants: Healthcare providers and females with FGC from five (5) primary healthcare centres/maternal health centres participated in the study. These were selected from the two Local Governments Areas (LGAs) of intervention in Oyo State i.e. Ibadan North East and Lagelu LGAs.

Interventions: Intervention activities included update training on opportunities and expert counselling for HCPs; and the establishment of Maternal Health Counselling Centres (MHCCs) to facilitate psychosocial support services for females with FGC.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Narrative analysis was used to analyse qualitative instruments while quantitative instruments were analysed using Simple Linear Regression.

Results and Conclusions: Evidence from the study shows a high level of psychological complications due to FGC; these were very much associated with the practice by affected females. Effectiveness of update training for healthcare providers is evident in the high rate of psychosocial support assessed at the various maternal health centres. Hence, constant and relevant update training should be embarked on for healthcare providers, in order for appropriate psychosocial support services to be rendered to females with FGC.