title: Parental decision making in male circumcision.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study which healthcare professionals (HCPs) firstasked parents about their decision regarding circumcision; whether parents felt they were given enough information by their HCP; and what reasons parents cited for their decision.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bilingual questionnaires were administered to parents and expecting parents of boys (N = 60). Close-ended survey responses were analyzed through factor analysis to ascertain what types of beliefs parents used in their decision making, whether they felt they had enough information, and who first asked them about their decision.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nurses were most likely to be the first HCPs to ask parents about circumcision. Parental personal and cultural beliefs played an equal or more important role in influencing decision making than medical information received. However, some parents noted that there was a lack of access to accurate information regarding risks and benefits of male circumcision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses continue to play a critical role in acquisition of knowledge surrounding male circumcision and serve as important liaisons between parents and the proxy consent process. Nurses, as well as other HCPs, should discuss circumcision early in pregnancy so parents have ample time to ask questions, gather information, and make an appropriate decision.
authors.affiliation: Lauren Sardi is an Assistant Professor of Sociology, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT. She can be reachedvia e-mail at lauren.sardi@quinnipiac.edu Kathy Livingston is a Professor of Sociology, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sardi
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Livingston
mesh_terms: D002944:Circumcision, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control