TITLE:
Attitude of Healthcare Professionals towards the Victims of FGM and BI in Healthcare Settings
AUTHORS:
Ify Nwiwu, Opinderjit Kaur Takhar
KEYWORDS:
Health Care, Attitude, Professionals, Female Genital Mutilation, Breast Ironing
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.15 No.9,
September
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: The study investigated that Attitude of Healthcare Professionals towards the Victims of FGM and BI in Healthcare Settings in Nigeria. To achieve this aim, four objectives and research questions were raised to guide the study and the cultural competence theory by Dr Joseph Betancourt was utilized to access the theoretical significance of the study. The research adopted a mixed method of quantitative surveys and qualitative semi-structured interviews. A stratified sample of 250 healthcare professionals were selected for the study. Data were collected through the use of questionnaire and interview response from healthcare professionals in Nigeria. Data from the structured questionnaire were analysed using mean and standard deviation through the application of SPSS while the interview responses were analysed thematically. From the analysis, the study found amongst others that majority (76%) acknowledged the need for trauma-informed care and showed empathy, almost 42% acknowledged that they felt unprepared or uneasy when caring for FGM or BI victims. A sizable portion of respondents (33%) disclosed implicit moral judgments, viewing the victims as either complicit or culturally “other”, cultural competency, intervention confidence, and empathy for survivors were shown by professionals who had received specialized training on FGM and BI and inadequate time for culturally sensitive communication, a lack of mental health support services, unclear institutional procedures were all were problems that hindered the delivering of high-quality care. It was therefore recommended that stakeholders should include BI and FGM awareness in nursing and medical programs and hold ongoing workshops for professional development that emphasize cultural competency and trauma-informed care and assist the patient and the healthcare provider, form interdisciplinary teams comprising social workers, psychologists, and cultural mediators.