Abstract:
Background: World Health Organization estimates that between 100 and 140 million girls
and women worldwide have been subjected to one of the first three types of female genital
mutilation. Estimates based on the most recent prevalence data indicate that 91.5 million girls
and women above 9 years old in Africa are currently living with the consequence of this
practice. Ethiopian Somali region has one of the highest prevalence of female genital
mutilation in Ethiopia, yet there are no many researches done in the region so far that show the
exact extent and associated factors among the Somali ethnic communities.
Objective: To assess the urban and rural patterns of female genital mutilation type and
associated factors among Somali ethnic mothers in Jijiga district, Ethiopian Somali region,
Ethiopia. April8 - may 7 2016.
Methodology: Community based cross sectional study design using quantitative method
supplemented by qualitative approach was used. Data was collected using structured
questionnaire for face to face interview of the quantitative (N=568) study. For the qualitative
focus group discussion and in depth interview checklist was used. The data was entered and
analysed using (SPSS 16). Bivariate followed by multivariate analysis model was used in this
study.
Results: Out of the 568 respondents studied, the prevalence of the type III FGM was found
85.2% in this study. Among the mothers, age (AOR:8.296, CI: 3.464-19.867), monthly
income(AOR: 6.168, CI: 2.479-15.347), belief on infibulations influence on
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marriage(AOR:6.067, CI: 2.609-14.105) and marriage decision (AOR:13.245, CI:
5.316-33.002) were found to have positive association with the type III with P value < 0.05.
Conclusion: There is a great traditional/culture shift in the urban by which the pharoanic/ type
III FGM type declining with promising rate and is being substituted with the Sunni type.
Regarding the rural, the predominant type is the pharoanic /type III, where women across the
different age groups are subjected
