Introduction and Hypothesis <p>Female genital cutting (FGC) remains prevalent in Sierra Leone, yet conventional cross-sectional analyses limit understanding of age-specific risk and long-term temporal trends. We aimed to estimate age-specific prevalence of FGC from 1984 to 2019 and to compare prevalence levels and trends before and after 2013 across selected age cohorts.</p> Methods <p>We conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey, which included women aged 15–49&#xa0;years. Participants reported FGC status and age at which FGC occurred. Using respondent age at survey and reported age at FGC, we reconstructed calendar-year–specific prevalence estimates for women aged 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35&#xa0;years from 1984 to 2019. Weighted prevalence before (1984–2013) and after 2013 (2014–2019) was compared, and temporal trends were assessed using survey-weighted linear regression.</p> Results <p>Among 14,644 respondents, the weighted prevalence of FGC was 87.3%. The median age at FGC was 12&#xa0;years (interquartile range 9–15). Weighted prevalence was highest among women aged 35&#xa0;years (94.2%) and lowest among those aged 15&#xa0;years (72.2%), with a marked increase between ages 15 and 20. Significant declines in prevalence were observed across all age groups between the pre- and post-2013 periods, with the largest absolute reduction among 15-year-olds (−15.9%). However, no age group demonstrated a statistically significant change in the rate of decline after 2013.</p> Conclusions <p>Prevalence of FGC in Sierra Leone has declined over time, particularly among younger cohorts, but remains high. Late adolescence and early adulthood represent a critical period of ongoing risk</p>

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Prevalence and Temporal Trends of Female Genital Cutting Among Women in Sierra Leone

  • Marie Bangura,
  • Christopher X. Hong

摘要

Introduction and Hypothesis

Female genital cutting (FGC) remains prevalent in Sierra Leone, yet conventional cross-sectional analyses limit understanding of age-specific risk and long-term temporal trends. We aimed to estimate age-specific prevalence of FGC from 1984 to 2019 and to compare prevalence levels and trends before and after 2013 across selected age cohorts.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey, which included women aged 15–49 years. Participants reported FGC status and age at which FGC occurred. Using respondent age at survey and reported age at FGC, we reconstructed calendar-year–specific prevalence estimates for women aged 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years from 1984 to 2019. Weighted prevalence before (1984–2013) and after 2013 (2014–2019) was compared, and temporal trends were assessed using survey-weighted linear regression.

Results

Among 14,644 respondents, the weighted prevalence of FGC was 87.3%. The median age at FGC was 12 years (interquartile range 9–15). Weighted prevalence was highest among women aged 35 years (94.2%) and lowest among those aged 15 years (72.2%), with a marked increase between ages 15 and 20. Significant declines in prevalence were observed across all age groups between the pre- and post-2013 periods, with the largest absolute reduction among 15-year-olds (−15.9%). However, no age group demonstrated a statistically significant change in the rate of decline after 2013.

Conclusions

Prevalence of FGC in Sierra Leone has declined over time, particularly among younger cohorts, but remains high. Late adolescence and early adulthood represent a critical period of ongoing risk