The determinants of female circumcision among adolescents from communities that practice female circumcision in two Nairobi informal settlements

Using data from the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NUHDSS), this paper seeks to understand the characteristics of adolescent girls who are circumcised in Kenya. The paper discusses the determinants of female circumcision in two Nairobi informal settlements. It is based on detailed information collected from young persons aged 12–24 targeting major transition events such as first sex, childbirth, marriage, and circumcision. Out of 4058 adolescents and young people interviewed 2010 were adolescent girls and young women. Out of the total number of interviewees, the 527 girls and young women on whom this paper is based are from ethnic communities that practice circumcision. We used the life-table technique to estimate the median age at circumcision and logistic regression to analyse the relationship between female circumcision and adolescent sexuality, controlling for other characteristics. The type of stay within the demographic surveillance area (DSA), religion, ethnicity, residential location and mother’s education were associated with being circumcised. Current school attendance was not associated with being circumcised but if one had never attended school then they were more likely to be circumcised. For policy making, it is imperative to explore the nature of social networks within which circumcision decisions are taken and enforced

Adolescent health · Attendance · Childbirth · Economic growth · Ethnic group · Geography · Human sexuality · Informal settlements · Population · Reproductive health · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Demography · Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Issues · Gender Studies · Genital Health and Disease · Law in Society and Culture · Medicine · Nursing

• The Cambridge Handbook of the International Psychology of Women

  Open Access•Fanny M Cheung, Diane F Halpern•Cambridge Handbook of the…•2020

  Incluir item

• In the Best Interests of the Child

  S Costello, M Quinn et al.•The British Journal of Social Work•2015

  Incluir item

• Shades of Othering

  Stanlie M James•Signs: Journal of Women in…•1998

  Incluir item

• Female Circumcision

  John H Douglas•Health Care For Women International•1998

  Incluir item

• Social Ties and Perceived Support

  Open Access•Jennifer C Cornman, N Goldman et al.•Journal of Aging and Health•2003

  Incluir item

• Female Circumcision in Egypt

  Marie Bassili Assaad, Marie Assaad•Studies in Family Planning•1980

  Incluir item

• Dualisms and female bodies in representations of African female circumcision

  Open Access•Wairimu Ngaruiya Njambi•Feminist Theory•2004

  Incluir item

• The decline of female circumcision in Egypt

  Open Access•Omaima El-Gibaly, Barbara Lethem Ibrahim et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2002

  Incluir item

• Male complications of female genital mutilation

  Open Access•Lars Almroth, Vanja Almroth-Berggren et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2001

  Incluir item

• "The medicalization of female "circumcision

  Open Access•Bettina Shell‐duncan, Bettina Shell-Duncan•Social Science & Medicine•2001

  Incluir item

• Female Genital Cutting

  Open Access•A Winterbottom, Jonneke Koomen et al.•African Studies Review•2009

  Incluir item

• Female Circumcision in Africa

  Leonard J Kouba, Judith Muasher•African Studies Review•1985

  Incluir item

• Attitudes Surrounding the Continuation of Female Circumcision in the Sudan

  Lindy Williams, Teresa Sobieszczyk et al.•Journal of Marriage and the Family•1997

  Incluir item

• Circumcision and Excision in Egyptian Nubia

  John G Kennedy•Man•1970

  Incluir item

• Female Circumcision and Genital Operations in Egypt and the Sudan

  Open Access•Daniel Gordon•Medical Anthropology Quarterly•1991

  Incluir item

• Female genital mutilation, fertility control, women's roles, and the patrilineage in modern Sudan

  Open Access•Rose Oldfield Hayes•American Ethnologist•1975

  Incluir item