Correlates Of Intimate Partner Violence Among Ugandan Women Age 20-29 Years: A Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract

Background: In Uganda, just like in many sub-Saharan countries, studies on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among women age 20-29 years are limited. The aim of this study was to determine correlates of IPV among Ugandan women age 20-29 years. Methods: The 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) data was used, and a weighted sample of 2765 women who had been in a union and age 20-29 years were selected from the Domestic Violence module. Frequency distributions were used to obtain the background and other IPV related characteristics of the women while chi-square tests established the relationship between IPV and the explanatory variables. Binary logistic regressions established the factors that were associated with IPV. Results: More than half (52%) of the women age 20-29 years experienced some form of IPV. Sexual IPV was the least prevalent (22%) and almost 4 in 10 women (36% and 38%) experienced physical and emotional IPV respectively. Factors associated with all the different forms of IPV included partner’s education, witnessing parental violence, partner’s controlling behaviors, marital duration, number of co-wives and frequency of being drunk by the partner. Age difference, age at first marriage and woman’s education were associated with emotional, physical and sexual violence respectively. Conclusion: IPV towards Ugandan women age 20-29 years was high. This calls for its reduction through collective efforts that target men to address issues like excessive alcohol consumption, controlling behaviors and raising awareness among others. Intervention programs aimed at countering perpetration and tolerance of violence in the home setting should be promoted. Keywords: Intimate partner violence, Alcohol, Witnessing parental violence, Controlling behaviors, Uganda