title: Geography and correlates of attitude toward Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sudan: What can we learn from successive Sudan opinion poll data?
abstract: In Sudan, prevalence of FGM is declining; likely as a result of changing attitude surrounding FGM, as more women believe the practice should be discontinued amid growing awareness about its health dangers. DFID Sudan opinion poll data collected from 2012 to 2014 was used. Bayesian geo-additive mixed models were used to map the spatial distribution of the likelihood of pro-FGM attitude at the state-level accounting for associated risk factors. During 2012 to 2014, the overall proportion of pro-FGM was 27.5% and 18.3% respectively with striking variations within states. People with pro-FGM attitude were more likely to be un-educated, living in rural settings with strong tribal identity. Individuals from Darfur were more likely to be pro-FGM when compared to the North state. The decrease in the practice of cutting observed between the 2006 and 2010 Sudanese Household Surveys and the resulting shift in attitude make a compelling case for public health policy to eradicate the FGM practice.
authors.affiliation: Department for International Development, Sudan, BFPO 5312, West End Road Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 6EP, United Kingdom. Electronic address: alexander-hamilton@DFID.gov.uk.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Information sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK; Health Economics and Evidence Synthesis Research Unit, Department of Population health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg; Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa. Electronic address: N-B.Kandala@warwick.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ngianga-Bakwin
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Kandala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiology; FGM; Geographic variation; Sudan