Intimate partner violence and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia: a cross-sectional study using a recent Liberian demographic and health survey

Abstract

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem and a violation of women's human rights. Almost one third of women aged 15–49 years who have been in a relationship have experienced to some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner worldwide. Objective The study aimed to assess the prevalence of intimate partner violence within the last 12 months and associated factors among reproductive aged women in Liberia. Method This study was based on a large community-based cross-sectional survey, Liberia Demographic Health Survey (LDHS), conducted From October 16, 2019, to February 12, 2020, in Liberia. The 2019–20 LDHS used a stratified two-stage cluster design. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent intimate partner violence among reproductive age women in Liberia and to control confounders. Adjusted odds ratio and confidence interval (CI) were used to declare statistical significance in the final model. Those variables with p value < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Result The overall prevalence of IPV within the last 12 months was 44.74% (42.73–46.77). age of the women 41% (AOR = 0.59, 95%CI 0.37–0.93), 42% (AOR = 0.58, 95%CI 0.35–0.94), and 59% (AOR = 0.41, 95%CI 0.25–0.68) among women with in the age group of 35–39, 40–44 and 45–49 respectively, south central region (AOR = 0.71, 95%CI 0.52–0.96), women’s primary education (AOR = 1.28, 95%CI 1.01–1.63), female household head (AOR = 0.77, 95%CI 0.61–0.97), husbands higher education (AOR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.39–0.99), positive wife beating attitude (AOR = 1.57, 95%CI 1.29–1.90), husband drinks (AOR = 2.59, 95%CI 2.14–3.15) and Women’s decision making autonomy (AOR = 0.75, 95%CI 0.61–0.93) were significantly associated with IPV. Conclusion The prevalence of IPV in Liberia was high. Socio-demographic characteristics of women, husbands education, sex of household head, having a positive attitude towards wife-beating, partner’s alcohol drinking habit and women empowerment was significantly associated with IPV in Liberia. Policymakers and program designers have to take into account those factors when they design interventions to reduce IPV in Liberia.

Intimate partner violence and malnutrition among women of reproductive age in Western Africa: A geostatistical analysis

“…Similar findings showing that women from households in the higher wealth spectrum (richer or richest) were less likely to experience IPV and to be underweight is in line with findings from a study conducted in Bangladesh [24]. Also, the findings of the present study indicating that women who live in urban areas, those who have attained secondary education, those from middle wealth quintile households, working women and those who read newspaper and watch television, are less likely to simultaneously suffer from IPV and underweight are consistent with similar findings in Uganda and elsewhere [25][26][27][28][29]. These findings emphasize the role higher education, high PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH levels of socio-economic status and access to mass media play in empowering women and protecting them against human rights violations such as IPV.…”

Six in ten female youths in low-income East African countries had problems in accessing health care: a multilevel analysis of recent demographic and health surveys from 2016–2021

“…This study also found that the odds of accessing healthcare were high among rich households as compared to poor household wealth status. This result is consistent with studies conducted in Ethiopia [22,24,25,31,47], Gambia [36], Myanmar [29], Tanzania [6], and SSA [19,26]. The possible explanation might be due to a rich wealth index may reduce the difficulties of obtaining money to access health care [20].…”

“…The current study finding showed a lower magnitude of access to healthcare than study reports in SSA [26], Ethiopia [31], Vermont [23], Gambia [36], and Myanmar [29]. The difference in the study population might be the reason for the variation.…”

“…To ascertain the outcome variable we created a composite variable by using the DHS questions. The questions included: getting permission to go, getting the money needed for treatment, distance to healthcare facility, and not wanting to go alone [35,36]. The responses to the questions were categorized as "big problem" and "not a big problem".…”

How does empowering men affect intimate partner violence? Evidence from Bangladesh

“…Motivated by the necessity to address this global problem, quantitative research investigates the determinants of IPV in developing countries. Studies highlight sociodemographic factors like women's education ( Ahinkorah et al, 2018 ; Oluwagbemiga et al, 2023 ; Rahman et al, 2020a ), women's age at marriage ( Murshid, 2017 ; Terrazas-Carrillo & McWhirter, 2015 ; Tsegaw et al, 2022 ), and exposure to violence during childhood ( Abramsky et al, 2011 ; Murshid & Murshid, 2018 ). Studies also highlight contextual factors like patriarchal norms ( Heise & Kotsadam, 2016 ; Murshid & Critelli, 2020 ), religious fractionalization ( Kaya & Cook, 2010 ), and community inequality ( Munguia & Martinez-Zarzoso, 2022 ).…”