Epidemiologic Study on Phimosis and Circumcision in Elementary School Boys (I)

Kim, Ki Kyung

Abstract

PURPOSE
It tends to increase in number of circumcision in neonates and school boys without any logical rationale concering that. So, I investigated what their parents know about phimosis and circumcision, how many boys received circumcision, what are the direct reason or motive of performing circumcision, what kind of complications they had, and finally what they think about circumcision, pros and cons.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
741 boys were chosen for study, who were attending at primary school in Seoul, Kyungkido, Incheon and Kangwondo, 361, 99, 208 and 73, respectively, 1 made a questionnaire and had parents mark personally at the given item (S) without boy's knowing the contents of the questionnaire to avoid error. Result: 52.3% of the answers replied that circumcision may keep penile hygiene clean. 40.9% of the boys were performed circumcision and 21.1% at neonatal period. Circumcisions were performed according to parent's want in 55.7%, boy's own want in 11.4%, nurse or doctor's recommendation in 10.3% and inflammation or urinary tract infection in 14%. There were some inappropriate resections of the prepuce and slight rotations of the penis in 12.5%, without other severe complications. Finally, they answered that circumcision is good for boys in 73%, bad in 0.5% and not necessary in 17.4%.
CONCLUSIONS
Many parents tend to think circumcision is advantageous to boys and it is actually performed in large number of boys. However, they are short of knowledge about that. So, I think there must be more activities to let them understand medical basis concerning circumcision.