Proper Education on Pros and Cons of Neonatal Circumcision - Research Paper Example

? Does Proper Education on Pros and Cons of Neonatal Circumcision Help Parents Make a Better Decision on the Procedure? of Institution] Problem/Question Statement Many parents often wonder whether it is advisable to circumcise their new born male babies or not. However, recent times have recorded an increase in the number of parents opting to circumcise their newborn male babies. What is strange is that most parents do so because their friends or relatives circumcise their babies or have pressurized them to do so. In the United States, more than half of newborn male babies are circumcised although the numbers have been dwindling in current times (Androus, 2011). Notably, there are no religious or medical reasons compelling the parents who circumcise their male babies to do so, implying these circumcisions are nonmedical and non-religious. Whether there should be educational programs guide parents on neonatal circumcision and its benefits and cons has been the subject of heated debates in the health sector and the public sphere for quite some time pitting the opponents and the proponents of education on neonatal circumcision against each other. While some support neonatal circumcision as good for newborns’ health, others oppose it, making parents even more confused about the procedure. They hence make decisions on neonatal circumcision based on what their friends and relatives feel, think, and say. That is, their decision is not influenced by well-informed expert opinion; rather, it is the emotionality with which their friends and relatives advise them that determines their decision (Aston, 2002). For parents to have a good understanding and perception of neonatal circumcision and its pros and cons and to make the right decisions, education and other awareness programs are highly recommended (Aston, 2002). That neonatal circumcision has become a rather controversial and fiercely debated health and social issue is evident in the many literary works that research and publish on neonatal circumcision. Literature Review A quick review of literatures available on neonatal circumcision and circumcision in general reveals that both the pros and cons of neonatal circumcision have been covered in equal measures. Specifically, a lot of literatures covering the pros and cons of neonatal circumcision touch on its health care implications. There are several advantages newborn male babies and their parents could derive from neonatal circumcision. First, neonatal circumcision is an easier procedure compared to later life circumcision since the circumcised penis is allegedly easier to care for in early stages of growth and development. Second, circumcised babies report less incidences of urinary tract infections compared to uncircumcised children. The other general benefits of circumcised penis are greater extent of protection against sexually-transmitted diseases, penile cancer, and future complications such as failure to retract the foreskin and tight foreskin (Cheng et al., 2006). Literatures also cover the cons of neonatal circumcision for which mothers should not circumcise newborn babies. These disadvantages include infections, excessive bleeding during the procedure, and accidental snipping of the glans or disproportional cutting of the foreskin so that it becomes either quite long or short. There could also be complications such as penile adhesions, scars, and tags that may necessitate surgery in future. Newborn male babies may also react adversely to anesthetic medications used in neonatal circumcision procedures. Removing the foreskin could also make these babies’ private parts prone to stresses and friction as the glans would not be shielded from friction from clothing and kept moist and sensitive (Cheng et al., 2006). As mentioned earlier, opinions vary on the pros and cons of neonatal circumcision and it is imperative that parents seek divergent opinions on the matter before authorizing its performance on their newborns (Cheng et al., 2006). Theoretical Foundation Several theoretical frameworks have been postulated to either support of refute neonatal circumcision in male babies. It is thus important that health educators and parents ponder over these theories and postulations before committing to neonatal circumcision. For instance, those opposing neonatal circumcision and circumcision in general assert that the foreskin has erogenous functions in the body and should never be removed. Further, reportedly, there are no significant differences in the risk of contracting urinary infections between uncircumcised and circumcised babies and adults. Some researchers even add that the difference in the risk works slightly in favor of circumcised males. There is also the belief that the uncircumcised have extremely less chance of contracting penile cancer compared to the circumcised and only require good hygiene to deal with this minimal risk. The hygiene factor on which the proponents of neonatal circumcision base most of their arguments can also be easily achieved in circumcised males. For instance, using soap and water to clean uncircumcised penis via the retraction of the foreskin once it is retractable could achieve the same level of cleanliness in a circumcised penis. Several theoretical approaches have been used to address the need to educate parents on neonatal circumcision. Majorly, besides the importance of education and awareness on the subject, most theories assert that the decision is the parents’ to make, whether for religious, cultural, or medical reasons. Nonetheless, it is advisable that parents consider the procedure’s advantages, disadvantages, the surgery to be performed, and the possible complications (Binner et al., 2005). To enhance neonatal circumcision education and awareness, stakeholder agencies and individuals such as pediatrics, families, obstetrics, and gynecologists should design and implement programs that would assist in determining the most appropriate curriculum and for an inclusive and effective education (Binner et al., 2005). Importantly, all these stakeholders should be trained to be skilled enough to implement these programs and educate parents on the pros and cons of neonatal circumcision. Unfortunately, in many cases, the standards and curricula for medical residents to train on to be competent enough to inform parents on neonatal circumcision are not consistent for resident pediatric and obstetrical residents and family practice. Particularly affected by this inconsistency in neonatal circumcision curriculum is instruction in analgesia/anesthesia for neonatal circumcision procedures (Binner et al., 2005). There is also a weakness in training on pain relief and common surgical procedures, which the concerned authorities such as the government should address. Methodology for Research One of the critical determinants of the research design and methodology to be used is the purpose of the study. This study will combine the three research designs of mixed, qualitative, and quantitative paradigms. The research will be conducted by asking women who will have just delivered male babies to complete a questionnaire and a short demographic self-description pertaining to their perceptions, attitudes and beliefs about education on neonatal circumcision and male circumcision in general. Since questionnaire use is a quantitative data collection method, the outcomes of the study will be expressed in numerical terms. Besides self-completion questionnaires, others will be delivered as structured interviews administered in person or over the phone. The study will use questionnaires since it will aim to reach a large number of respondents. Since the topic of the importance of education to decision making on neonatal circumcision is narrow but deeply affects the contemporary society, the study will target the opinions and experiences of health care experts or parents with direct experience on the issue, thus the sampling will not be done randomly. However, the data gathered will have to be as appropriate to the research as possible. The questionnaires will be designed so that they are easy to read with clearly spaced out and distinct questions. Also to be considered while designing the questionnaires will be the purposes of the questionnaires, contacts for further information, follow up interviews, instructions on use, deadlines, and return date. It will also be important to specify whether multiple-choice answers will be available. Plan and Implementation of Research The planning and the implementation stages of this research will take into consideration several crucial steps and guidelines. Although it will follow institutional guidelines on research planning and implementation, it will focus more on achieving the objectives of the study. The first step during the planning phase was the identification of the research problem, which is an area of interest in everyday experiences and a practical issue with a theoretical basis. In this problem identification, attention was focused on the feasibility of the topic and its likelihood to be studied systematically. The determination of the research purpose, questions, and hypotheses are the other critical steps to be followed in the planning and the implementation of the research. Research purpose, problem statement, and questions will assist in the realization of the objectives, which include exploring, describing, predicting, and explaining the importance of education on the pros and cons of neonatal circumcision on parents’ decision making on the procedure. Next, the resources to be used in the research will be determined depending on the level, complexity, the size, and the expected outcome of the study. In the description of the research problem, a statement including the topic/research problem was first created. Following this step will be the reviewing of earlier studies on the topic so that a better understanding on the current knowledge on the topic would be established. By reviewing past literatures and research, it will be possible to have an idea about prior studies and findings on the subject. From such a review, it will be easier to design the study as earlier problems relating to data collection methods and analysis would be addressed before the study commences. Review of prior researches will also help in redefining and refining the research problem, questions, theoretical framework, and potential participants. Previous researches will particularly be reviewed by searching print and electronic educational journals literatures and databases. Also vital in the planning and implementation of the study are its implications. That is, the practical manner in which the study will benefit the relevant fields such as education, neonatal care, and adult life health. In essence, implications are the goals and rationales for the study, which must be linked to the research purpose, problem, topic, hypotheses, and question (Lerman & Liao, 2001). Recommendations and Conclusion Parents value both prenatal and neonatal information, which is quite important to them in the caring for the newborns. Neonatal circumcision is of the many procedures that new parents have to contend with and decide on in modern times given that many in society have embraced the practice. However, for mothers to make the right decision on whether to perform the procedure on their newborn male babies or not, they should first be informed on the pros and cons of neonatal circumcision. Education and other awareness programs are among the most effective strategies applied to assist parents make such decisions (Lerman & Liao, 2001). Through these educational and awareness programs, parents will stop relying on the emotive opinions from friends and relatives who may not have the expertise to advise on such matters. To ensure the right education and awareness interventions are designed and implemented, further research should be conducted on the importance of educating parents on the pros and cons of neonatal circumcision so that they make informed decisions. References Androus, Z. T. (2011). Neonatal circumcision in the United States: Authoritative knowledge and social justice. ProQuest, UMI Dissertation Publishing. Aston, M. L. (2002). Learning To Be a New Mother: Empowerment and Pedagogy in Postpartum Classes. Public Health Nursing (Boston, Mass.), 19(4): 293. Binner, S. L., Mastrobattista, J. M., Day, M. C., Swaim, L. S., and Monga, M. (2005). Effects of parental education on decision-making about neonatal circumcision. Southern Medical Association. Cheng, C., Fowles, E., and Walker, L. (2006). Postpartum Maternal Health Care in the United States: A Critical Review. The Journal of Perinatal Education.15(3): 42. Lerman, S. E., and Liao, J. C. (2001). Neonatal Circumcision. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved on September 18, 2012 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11732129 Read More