Awareness of Parents About Circumcision: Turkey Data Survey Study

Background To evaluate Turkish parents’ perceptions and attitudes regarding the appropriate age for circumcision, practice conditions, and procedural indications across different regions of Turkey. Methods This cross-sectional survey study was conducted between March 2023 and March 2025 across urology and pediatric surgery departments in seven distinct regions of Turkey. A total of 637 literate parents (aged ≥ 18) completed a voluntary 16-question online survey via URL or QR code. Data regarding demographics, circumcision preferences, and information sources were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. Results The majority of parents (95.1%) considered circumcision necessary, primarily citing religious (77.7%) and medical (63.8%) reasons. Although 76% of participants believed circumcision should ideally occur outside the phallic stage (ages 2–6), a significant discrepancy was observed as 41.1% of children were actually circumcised during this period. Awareness of the non-phallic stage increased significantly with higher parental education levels (p < 0.001). Regarding practice, specialists were preferred (pediatric surgeons 54.4%; pediatric urologists 46.3%), and the operating room was identified as the safest setting by 91.7% of responders. Local anesthesia was the most selected method (51.6%). Conclusion Despite a high general awareness of specialist qualifications and appropriate age ranges, a clear gap exists between parental knowledge and actual practice, particularly regarding the phallic stage. Enhancing clinical guidance and utilizing mass communication effectively are essential to ensure circumcisions are performed under appropriate conditions and to minimize potential psychological trauma.