Providing information about the consequences of female genital mutilation to healthcare providers caring for women and girls living with female genital mutilation: A systematic review

Background The persistence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in some countries, despite an overall decline in the prevalence of the practice, calls for improvement in the capacity of healthcare workers and institutions to provide optimal care for this population. Objectives To determine the impact of providing information on FGM and its consequences to healthcare providers on their attitudes toward FGM, and quality of care and patient satisfaction. Search strategy The following major databases were searched from inception to August 2015: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov, without language restrictions. Selection criteria Controlled studies were included based on use of objective measures. Data collection and analysis Two team members independently screened and collected data. Relative risks and proportions were calculated and evidence assessed using the GRADE (Grade of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. Results One study was identified. Based on this study there was no evidence to suggest change in healthcare provider outcomes after the intervention. Conclusions Despite a comprehensive search, only one study of low methodological quality was included. This precludes a definitive conclusion regarding the impact of providing information on FGM to healthcare providers. More research is needed. PROSPERO registration CRD42015024570.