Male infant circumcision and associated factors in Konso Zone Southern Ethiopia: community based survey

Infant male circumcision reduces urinary tract infections during infancy and sexually transmitted infections during adulthood. However, people in varous communities challenge male infant circumsizion in Ethiopia. Data regrading male infant circumsion is crucial component of designing preventive strategy, resource allocation and planning mainly in rural communities. Despite its importance, no study is conducted on male infant circumsion practice and associated factors in the study setting so far.

To assess prevalence and factors associated with male infant circumcision in Konso Zone, South Nation Nationality People Regional State of Ethiopia, in 2022.

Community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among randomly selected districts in Konso Zone, Southern Nation Nationality and Peoples Regional States, Ethiopia, from 30 June to 30 July 2022. A multi-stage sampling technique was applied to enrol study subjects. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Then, it was entered into epi-data 4.6 and exported to STATA version 14 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were presented using tables,charts and texts. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate association between each independent variable and dependent variable. All explanatory variables with P-value less than 0.25 in bivariate regression were fitted into multi-variable regression. Variables whose P-value less than 0.05 with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to declare statically significance.

Prevalence of male infant circumcision was 24.9% in this study. Factors such as women with good knowledge of male circumcision (AOR = 7.3; 95% CI: 4.3, 12.5), women age more than 36 years (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1, 4.3) and women with a favourable attitude to male circumcision (AOR = 9.2; 95% CI: 4.5, 18.8) were significantly associated with male infant circumcision practice in this study.

Prevalence of male infant circumcision was lower in this study compared to national threshold. Women knowledge towards male infant circumcision, aged more than 36 years, and women with favourable attitude to male circumcision are factors positively associated with male infant circumcision. Hence, stakeholders should empower women using health education about male infant circumcision and mobilise the community.