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Estimating utility value for female genital mutilation
Cyrus Alinia1,2, Bakhtiar Piroozi3, Fariba Jahanbin1
1Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
BMC Public Health
|May 31, 2020
Summary
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) reduces health utility by 3%, impacting well-being and quality of life. Preventing FGM/C is crucial for health policy.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Women's Health
- Health Economics
Background:
- Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) affects over 200 million women globally, violating rights and causing irreversible health issues.
- The health utility value of FGM/C has not been previously quantified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the health utility value associated with FGM/C for the first time.
- To identify socio-demographic factors influencing health utility in women who have undergone FGM/C.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study in Iran involving 125 women who underwent FGM/C.
- Health utility measured using the Time Trade-off method; socio-demographic factors analyzed with censored regression.
Main Results:
- Mean health utility for FGM/C survivors was 0.971; however, traders reported lower utility (0.946).
- Type 1 FGM/C was associated with significantly lower health utility than Type 2.
- Lower health utility was observed in women aged 31-45, single, divorced, employed, or with supplementary insurance.
Conclusions:
- FGM/C negatively impacts physical and psychological well-being, reducing health-related quality of life by approximately 3%.
- Urgent policy interventions are needed to prevent FGM/C, considering its significant impact on women's health.
