Health consequences of female genital mutilation/cutting in the Gambia, evidence into action

Background: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful traditional practice with severe health complications, deeply rooted in many Sub-Saharan African countries. In The Gambia, the prevalence of FGM/C is 78.3% in women aged between 15 and 49 years. The objective of this study is to perform a first evaluation of the magnitude of the health consequences of FGM/C in The Gambia. Methods: Data were collected on types of FGM/C and health consequences of each type of FGM/C from 871 female patients who consulted for any problem requiring a medical gynaecologic examination and who had undergone FGM/C in The Gambia. Results: The prevalence of patients with different types of FGM/C were: type I, 66.2%; type II, 26.3%; and type III, 7.5%. Complications due to FGM/C were found in 299 of the 871 patients (34.3%). Even type I, the form of FGM/C of least anatomical extent, presented complications in 1 of 5 girls and women examined. Conclusion: This study shows that FGM/C is still practiced in all the six regions of The Gambia, the most common form being type I, followed by type II. All forms of FGM/C, including type I, produce significantly high percentages of complications, especially infections

Manual for the management and prevention of female genital mutilation/cutting for healt professionals the Gaambia

This Manual is the third edition of the Manual on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting for Health Professionals (2010, 2014) developed to facilitate understanding, care and prevention of FGM/C. The ten modules of the Manual have already been integrated in the Academic Curriculum in all health studies in the country (Medicine, Nursing, Public Health and Midwifery) with the support of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the collaboration of the Cuban Medical Mission. In the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (SMAHS), FGM/C was integrated into six subjects: anatomy, physiology, psychology, G&O, paediatrics and community medicine

Acoso escolar en la Institución Educativa “Héroes del Cenepa” del distrito de San Juan de Lurigancho, Lima, Perú

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar si es que existe, Acoso Escolar en la Institución Educativo “Héroes del Cenepa” del Distrito de San Juan de Lurigancho, partiendo que la sociedad peruana, moral, ético, cultural, la extrema democracia, los problemas políticos (corrupción), económicos, desde hace medio siglo viene atravesando nuestro país, se advierte en las Instituciones Educativas el gran problema del acoso escolar con mayor frecuencia. Ante la presencia de este fenómeno social, nos obliga a los peruanos investigar descriptivamente a fin de conocer que es el acoso escolar, para ello se aplicó un cuestionario a nivel de quinto año de educación secundaria de la Institución Educativa “Héroes del Cenepa” del Distrito de San Juan de Lurigancho. La unidad de análisis de estudio, estuvo conformada por 50 alumnos entre varones y mujeres cuyo promedio de edades fluctúa entre 12 a 17 años, esta muestra fue considerada de los 150 alumnos de la Institución Educativa, cuyos habitantes presentan condición económica media por ser emigrantes mayormente de la sierra del Perú. En el año 2009, falleció un alumno de 15 años de edad, por causa de golpes que sufrió, al caer al piso, por la agresión de los adolescentes motivados por escenas de violencia, considerando que los escolares procedían de hogares no formales y carentes de valores, la investigación denominada el acoso escolar en estudiantes de San Juan de Lurigancho

Implementación del repositorio de recursos de aprendizaje e investigación de la universidad virtual de salud Manuel Fajardo

Dada la necesidad de perfeccionar el sitio web UVS-Fajardo para que permitiera la inclusión de un repositorio de Recursos Educativos Abiertos, según criterios específicos de las carreras y especialidades de ciencias médicas que se imparten en la Facultad Manuel Fajardo; se llevó a cabo una investigación con el objetivo de: realizar las adaptaciones al software Drupal en función del repositorio de Recursos Educativos Abiertos; establecer una taxonomía para los contenidos de la Universidad Virtual; e implementar un repositorio de recursos de aprendizaje e investigación. Como resultado se diseñó una taxonomía según tipo de recursos, con 8 taxones y 250 palabras que se añadieron a la clasificación LOM. Como consecuencia de la adaptación del software Drupal como base del repositorio y después de un proceso de preparación, se incrementó la producción a 644 recursos de aprendizaje y 99 de investigación. Se logró la adaptación de plantillas, metadatos y sistemas de recopilación y búsqueda. Se determinó la taxonomía a utilizar en la UVS basado en la teoría de objetos de aprendizaje y contextualizado a las características del centro docente. Se concluye que el repositorio implementado posee una lógica de organización académica que garantiza el depósito y búsquedade forma rápida y eficiente; así como la preservación, reutilización, actualización y evaluación de los materiales digitales producidos.Palabras Clave: repositorios, recursos educativos abiertos, sistema de gestión de contenidos, sistema de gestión de aprendizaje.</p

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of female genital mutilation/cutting among health care professionals in The Gambia : a multiethnic study

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful traditional practice with severe consequences for the health and well-being of girls and women. Health care professionals (HCPs) are therefore expected to be aware of how to identify and manage these consequences in order to ensure that those affected by the practice receive quality health care. Moreover, their integration and legitimacy within the communities allow them to play a key role in the prevention of the practice. Nevertheless, the perception of HCPs on FGM/C has been barely explored in African contexts. This study seeks to contribute to this field of knowledge by examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding FGM/C among HCPs working in rural settings in The Gambia. A cross-sectional descriptive study was designed through a quantitative methodology, following a multiethnic approach. A pre-tested questionnaire with open and closed-ended questions was created. Forty medical students from the Community-based Medical Programme were trained to administer the questionnaire, face to face, at village health facilities in rural areas of The Gambia. A final sample of 468 HCPs included all nurse cadres and midwives. A significant proportion of Gambian HCPs working in rural areas embraced the continuation of FGM/C (42.5%), intended to subject their own daughters to it (47.2%), and reported having already performed it during their medical practice (7.6%). However, their knowledge, attitudes, and practices were shaped by sex and ethnic identity. Women showed less approval for continuation of FGM/C and higher endorsement of the proposed strategies to prevent it than men. However, it was among ethnic groups that differences were more substantial. HCPs belonging to traditionally practicing groups were more favourable to the perpetuation and medicalisation of FGM/C, suggesting that ethnicity prevails over professional identity. These findings demonstrate an urgent need to build HCP's capacities for FGM/C-related complications, through strategies adapted to their specific characteristics in terms of sex and ethnicity. A culturally and gender sensitive training programme might contribute to social change, promoting the abandonment of FGM/C, avoiding medicalisation, and ensuring accurate management of its health consequence

A estrutura da comunidade ictioplanctônica na região de desembocadura do rio Paranapanema no reservatório de Jurumirim, (SP)

O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar a estrutura da comunidade ictioplanctônica, no rio Paranapanema, em dois tributários e em três lagoas laterais na região de desembocadura do rio Paranapanema no reservatório de Jurumirim (SP), e suas possíveis relações com alguns fatores ambientais. As coletas foram realizadas quinzenalmente, de outubro de 2007 a março de 2008, no período noturno. Foram utilizadas redes de plâncton cônico-cilndrica, de malhagem 0,05 mm, equipadas com fluxômetro para a obtenção do volume de água filtrada, a qual foi arrastada junto a subsuperfície, durante 10 minutos. Foram realizadas análises de correlação entre as densidades de ovos e larvas e algumas variáveis ambientais para cada local de estudo. Durante os seis meses de coletas, foram capturados 8806 ovos e 779 larvas. A análise da distribuição quinzenal mostrou que as maiores densidades médias de ovos e larvas foram observadas na segunda quinzena de janeiro. Quanto à composição das larvas no rio Paranapanema, as maiores densidades foram de Pimelodus maculatus, seguidas por Characiformes e por Bryconamericus spp. Nas lagoas, os três táxóns mais abundantes foram Apareiodon spp., P. maculatus e Characidae. Nos tributários, os táxons mais representativos foram P. maculatus, H. aff. malabaricus, e Siluriformes. As maiores densidades tanto para ovos como para larvas ocorreram nos meses que compreendem o período reprodutivo da maioria das espécies de peixes, o qual corresponde ao período de temperaturas mais elevadas e de maior pluviosidade. O maior número de ovos coletados quando comparado às larvas, indicam que a parte alta do rio Paranapanema é usada com local de desova de várias espécies, e posteriormente como local de deriva até as larvas atingirem os locais de desenvolvimento...This study aimed to analyze the structure of the ichthyoplakton community, in the Paranapanema River, in two tributaries and in tree lateral lakes in the mouth zone of Paranapanema River into Jurumirim Reservoir (São Paulo State), and their possible relationships with some environmental factor. Samplings were done fortnightly, from October 2007 to March 2008, during the night. Conic cylindrical plankton nets of 0.5 mm mesh size were used, equipped with flowmeter to obtain the filtered volume, in 10- minutes hauls at the surface. Correlations analyses were done between eggs and larvae densities, and some environmental variables for each study site. During 6 sampling months, 8806 eggs and 779 larvae were captured. Fortnightly distributions showed that the highest eggs and larvae mean densities were observed in late January. In relation to larvae composition in Paranapanema River, the greatest densities were of Pimelodus maculatus, followed by Characiformes and by Bryconamericus spp. In the lakes, the three most abundant taxa were: Apareiodon spp., P. maculatus and Characidae. In tributaries, the most representative taxa were P. maculatus, Hoplias aff. malabaricus and Siluriformes. The greatest densities, not only to eggs but also to larvae, occurred in the months comprehending the reproductive period of most fishes, which corresponds to the period of elevated temperatures and intense precipitation. When comparing the highest number of eggs and larvae collected, it seems that Paranapanema River is used as hatching site of several species, and posteriorly as drift site until the larvae reach the development sites downstream. The ichthyoplankton community is composed meanly by small and medium size, sedentary or that perform short migrations. Besides been likely local for the development... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES