The AoCPP’s Lunch and Learn
'Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Learning from the Female Genital Mutilation Sister Study: translating research into practice'
3rd October 2023 - 12.00pm - 1.30pm
Speaker: Dr Laura Jones
Summary:
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an important UK health and social care challenge. FGM has no health benefits, and the practice is associated with lifelong physical, psychological, and sexual impacts. The FGM Sister Study qualitatively explored the views of 44 FGM survivors, 13 men, and 44 healthcare professionals around preferences for the timing of deinfibulation surgery (opening surgery for women and girls with type 3 FGM) and how we can improve future FGM NHS service provision. Early study results were discussed at two workshops with communities affected by FGM and at a national stakeholder event. This interactive lunch and learn session seminar will provide an overview of FGM, the study, present a summary of the main findings, and highlight recommendations for how we might translate the research findings into policy and practice.
This is a Practice Learning Review SIG event.
Speaker: Dr Laura Jones is an Associate Professor of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Applied Health Research in the Institute of Applied Health Research at the University of Birmingham.
Presentation Summary: Laura’s SIG session will focus on female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM is where the genitals are deliberately cut or injured without medical reason. There are no health benefits of FGM. Globally, 200 million women and girls are living with the consequences of being cut. FGM is a global health concern and an important healthcare challenge in destination countries such as the UK.
WHO have identified four types of FGM with type 3 the most extensive. Deinfibulation (opening surgery) can help to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls with type 3 FGM. However, currently there is no consensus on the optimal timing of deinfibulation. As part of this session, Laura will present some of the results of a research study that she led exploring preferences around deinfibulation and views on NHS FGM service provision. The FGM Sister Study is the largest qualitative study of FGM in the UK to date and involved 141 key stakeholders including 54 FGM survivors.
