Determinants of female genital mutilation among daughters in Ethiopia: a negative binomial regression approach

Female genital mutilation is a major issue that has considerable effect on millions of girls in Africa, including Ethiopia. Despite the state initiatives to eliminate the practice by making it illegal, many mothers continue think that it should be continued for their daughters. Therefore, we aimed determinants of the number undergoing female genital mutilation of daughters in Ethiopia.

Data for this study were obtained from the 2016 EDHS. The weighted sample included in this study was 3754 adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years. Descriptive data were summarized using descriptive statistics and tables. A negative binomial regression model was fitted. The strength of association was assessed using AIR with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p-value < 0.05 was reported. The deviance test was used to check the goodness of fit.

Of the 3754 women, 1728 (46%) were aged from 25 to 34 years and 2503(66.7%) women were uneducated. Maternal age between 25 and 34 years (AIRR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.16-0.37), as well as between 35 and 44 years (AIRR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.44-0.739), living in urban areas (AIRR = 0.343, 95% CI: 0.222-0.532), having no employment (AIRR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1,1.6), not listening to the radio at all (AIRR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.96-3.7) or listen to it less than once per weeks (AIRR = 2.39, 95% CI:2.391.68-3.38), and watching television less than once per week (AIRR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.24-3.6), along with having one to five household members(AIRR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.54,0.76), were significant predictors of daughter's FGM.

In this study, factors that help protect a daughter from female genital mutilation include older maternal age, residing in urban areas, and having a smaller household size. Conversely, maternal unemployment and limited exposure to TV and radio are associated with a higher risk of female genital mutilation. Address these issue, efforts should be made to empower mothers through employment opportunities, and addressing the female genital concerns in targeted media campaigns is crucial.