Effect of living conditions on genital mutilation practices among adolescent girls in West Africa: A pooled analysis from demographic and health surveys

Abstract

Despite commitments and interventions, Female Genital Mutilations (FGM) practice persists in West African countries. This research analyzes the effect of living conditions on FGM practice. Data were sourced from thirty-four demographic and health surveys conducted between 1995 and 2020 in 12 countries. The study sample consisted of 69,971 adolescent girls aged 15-19 years. Meta-regression analysis and binary logistic regression analyses showed the effect and relative contribution of study covariates on the phenomenon. The overall average prevalence of FGM is 40.7%, with a mixed effect of living conditions on FGM practice. The factors associated with FGM practice are, in order of importance, religion, level of education, ethnicity and place of residence. All factors have a direct effect on the studied phenomenon, and the level of education acts as an inhibiter of the effect of living conditions. The study suggests the need to strengthen the involvement of religious, traditional and community leaders in the definition and implementation of actions to combat FGM, as well as girl’s education, especially by maintaining them in school till completion of at least secondary school.