BHS 414 Cross Cultural Health Perspectives (Mod 3 SLP) - Essay Example

Cultural Basis for Female Circumcision Health Problem: Female circumcision PEN 3 Model 3x 3 table Domains Positive Existential Negative Perceptions ComplicationsAnti-circumcision groupsSelf perception ( Leonard, 2000)Enablers Banned by the law( Ferguson, 1995)Result of the studies conducted ( Ferguson, 1995)Safe performance by a qualified personStrong religious and cultural justifications(Gruenbaum, 2001)High cultural and political recognition(Gruenbaum, 2001)Illiteracy NurturersPositive enablers:Banning of the Female Circumcision by law or governmentIt is banned to practice the Female Circumcision in many African countries where this is widely practiced.

Burkina Faso, Central African Republic and Egypt are examples. In some countries even a qualified person or cannot perform even with the consent of the female. ( Ferguson, 1995)This is a positive and strong enabler, because a female who do not want to undergo circumcision have a legal protection. But this may increase illegal unsafe performance conduct by unqualified people which can be more harmful. Result of the studies conductedLong term studies conducted to measure the outcome and the complications showed that Female Circumcision does not provide significant positive hygienic and attitude changes expected by the culture.

Instead it calls many complications such as infections, deaths, chronic pain and obstructions in the urinary tract. Further it was proved that some women increase the sexual sensitivity after the process. Reveling of these findings might change the behavior in societies that are much open to the world, but do a little to the societies with are not open. ( Ferguson, 1995)Existential Enablers:Safe performance by a qualified person Some countries allow to perform female circumcision only by a qualified person or a doctor with anesthesia where the complications are relatively low and generally safe.

This provides cultural requirements while reaching the objectives of health care by limiting illegal unsafe procedures which violates human rights. However this has a problem with human rights. Women who refuse female circumcision might have been forced do it since they are not protected by the law.Negative EnablersStrong religious and cultural justificationMany of these communities have deep-rooted strong justifications on the advantages of the female circumcision. (Gruenbaum, 2001). Although they are not agreed with modern medical and health practices they bend facts to match with what they believe which makes someone stand for it.

Some of justifications are as follows:Clean and spiritual Maintenance of good health Protects virginity Increase fertility Prevent from having many partnersEnhance of male sexual performance and pleasure Acceptance by the society Women who have undergone circumcision are considered as spiritual and are given higher recognition in political and cultural context. This is why women in countries where the female circumcision is legally banned still chose to undergo the procedure.Illiteracy and lack of communicationMajority of the females in these societies are illiterate and do not have a chance to communicate with other cultures or societies.

They are afraid and forbidden to think out of the culture.ReferencesGruenbaum, E. (2001). The female circumcision controversy. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.Leonard, L. (2000). We did it for pleasure only: Hearing alternative tales of female circumcision. Qualitative Inquiry, 6(2), 212-228.Ferguson, I., Ellis, P. (1995). Female Genital Mutilation: a Review of the Current Literature Department of Justice, Canada.