Acceptability of a smartphone application to enhance healthcare to female genital mutilation survivors in Liberia: a qualitative study

Nordmann, Kim ; Martínez-Pérez, Guillermo Z. ; King, Mandella ; Küpper, Thomas ; Subirón Valera, Ana Belén (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: In Liberia, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a legally allowed initiation ritual in the secret Sande society. Due to the secrecy, Liberian healthcare providers receive little education on FGM/C and its health consequences. As mobile learning approaches proved to efficiently increase providers’ knowledge and skills, a mobile application (‘app’) was designed to support self-learning, decision-making, and the follow-up of FGM/C survivors’ health. The ‘app’ was introduced in a capacity-building project in 2019 and evaluated through this qualitative study to assess healthcare provider’s needs and acceptance. We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews and eight focus group discussions with 42 adult healthcare providers in three Liberian counties. A thematic approach grounded in descriptive phenomenology guided data analysis and led to three main themes: the ‘app’, mobile learning and health education, and personal impression. Healthcare providers judge the ‘app’ useful to broaden their knowledge and skills, which might lead to better FGM/C detection and management. The ‘app’ might further facilitate patient and community education about the negative health consequences of FMG/C, possibly contributing to a reduction of FGM/C prevalence.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710855

Año: 2022

Publicado en: International journal of environmental research and public health 19, 17 (2022), 10855 [13 pp.]
ISSN: 1661-7827

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 5.4 - Medicine (Q2) - Environmental Science (Q2)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.828 - Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis (Q2) - Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health (Q2) - Pollution (Q2)

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Enfermería (Dpto. Fisiatría y Enfermería)