Prevalence and Predictors of Physical Abuse of Women in Uganda and Malawi

Abstract

The study examined the prevalence and predictors of physical abuse of women in Uganda and Malawi. The Demographic Health Survey in the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) database served as the data source. The respondents were 5402 women from Uganda and Malawi. The response variable was whether the woman had been physically harmed by her current husband or partner during pregnancy (DVPREGHUSB). We examined six predictor variables. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that four variables were important predictors of DVPREGHUSB: country, marital status, woman's education, and husband's education. Women in Uganda were more likely to be physically abused than women in Malawi. Those who were living together (unmarried), widowed, divorced, or separated were less likely to be physically abused than those who were married. A woman's level of education was not a significant predictor of the physical abuse of women in both Uganda and Malawi. Men with primary education were more likely to physically abuse their wives or partners than those without education. Programs aimed at helping physically abused women must consider the country of residence, marital status, and education of the husband or partner.