Understanding Men’s Elevated Alcohol Use, Gender Equity Ideologies, and Intimate Partner Violence Among Married Couples in Rural India

Abstract

Qualitative evidence suggests that husbands’ inequitable gender equity (GE) ideologies may influence associations between husbands’ alcohol use and intimate partner violence (IPV) against wives. However, little quantitative research exists on the subject. To address this gap in the literature, associations of husbands’ elevated alcohol use and GE ideologies with wives’ reports of IPV victimization among a sample of married couples in Maharashtra, India, were examined. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from the baseline sample of the Counseling Husbands to Achieve Reproductive Health and Marital Equity (CHARM) study. Participants included couples aged 18 to 30 years (N = 1081). Regression models assessed the relationship between husbands’ elevated alcohol use and GE ideologies (using the Gender-Equitable Men [GEM] Scale) and wives’ history of physical and/or sexual IPV victimization ever in marriage. Husbands and wives were 18 to 30 years of age, and married on average of 3.9 years (SD ± 2.7). Few husbands (4.6%) reported elevated alcohol use. Husbands had mean GEM scores of 47.3 (SD ± 5.4, range: 35–67 out of possible range of 24–72; least equitable to most equitable). Approximately one fifth (22.3%) of wives reported a history of physical and/or sexual IPV. Wives were less likely to report IPV if husbands reported greater GE ideologies (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.97, 95% CI [0.95, 0.99]), and husband’s elevated alcohol use was associated with increased risk of IPV in the final adjusted model (AOR: 1.89, 95% CI [1.01, 3.40]). Findings from this study indicate the need for male participation in violence intervention and prevention services and, specifically, the need to integrate counseling on alcohol use and GE into such programming.

Prevalence and determinants of Alcohol use in a remote rural area in South India: A community-based cross-sectional study

“…Other factors like male gender (aOR 41 (29–59), Married 5.0 (3.7–6.8), or Separated 2.6 (1.5–4.4) and diabetes 1.6 (1.1–2.3) were associated with alcohol use is well established from previous studies. [ 1 2 4 6 12 13 ] Age, number of family members, literacy, and diet didn't play any significant role in this study population. But the association of illiteracy with alcohol use was noticed in some other studies.…”

“…It is the root cause for many non-communicable diseases and behavioral disorders. [ 1 2 ] Alcohol misuse can lead to many major issues like broken family, crimes, accidents, economic instability in the family, and poverty. [ 1 3 ] Different studies from India show different prevalence of alcohol.…”

“…[ 1 2 ] Alcohol misuse can lead to many major issues like broken family, crimes, accidents, economic instability in the family, and poverty. [ 1 3 ] Different studies from India show different prevalence of alcohol. [ 4 5 6 7 ] National Family Health Survey 4 (NFHS 4) shows that the prevalence of alcohol use among females are 0.3% and among males are 47%.…”

Alcohol use, depressive symptoms, and intimate partner violence perpetration: A longitudinal analysis among men with HIV in northern Vietnam

“…Covariates. Theoretical and empirical evidence was used to select variables with the potential to confound the relationship between alcohol use and IPV perpetration [1,6,[56][57][58][59][60]. Exposure to violence as a child was measured using three items asking about ever witnessing interparental violence as a child, ever experiencing physical abuse as a child, or ever experiencing sexual abuse as a child.…”

Longitudinal analysis of alcohol use and intimate partner violence perpetration among men with HIV in northern Vietnam

“…Covariates for the relationship between alcohol use and IPV perpetration were selected based on substantial theoretical or empirical evidence of potential confounding (Cunradi et al, 2014;Dasgupta et al, 2018;Gilchrist et al, 2017;Go et al, 2013;Jansen et al, 2016;Machisa et al, 2016;Tschann et al, 2005). Exposure to violence as a child comprised three items asking about ever witnessing interparental violence, experiencing physical abuse, or experiencing sexual abuse as a child.…”