title: Predictors of female genital cutting among university students in northern Nigeria.
abstract: Female genital cutting (FGC) is a harmful cultural practice that is perpetrated against women and children. Little is known about the extent of this custom among university students in northern Nigeria. Using self-administered questionnaires, we studied the prevalence and determinants of FGC among female university students in Kano, Nigeria (n =359). The prevalence of FGC was 12.1% (95% confidence interval =8.8-15.8%). Awareness and disapproval of FGC among the study population was very high (96% and 91%, respectively). In multivariate regression models, ethnicity and geographic origin were significant predictors of female circumcision. A comprehensive legal and educational framework and the support of civil society, governments and development partners is required to address this form of gender discrimination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. ziliyasu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iliyasu
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Abubakar
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Galadanci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haruna
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Aliyu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003469:Culture; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult