scholarly journals Pooled analysis of the association between alcohol use and violence against women: evidence from four violence prevention studies in Africa

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e049282
Author(s):  
Leane Ramsoomar ◽  
Andrew Gibbs ◽  
Esnat D Chirwa ◽  
Kristin Dunkle ◽  
Rachel Jewkes
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Pooled Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Harmful Alcohol ◽  
Prevention Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan

ObjectivesTo test associations between men’s past year alcohol use and patterns of drinking, and their perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence (NPSV). To test the associations between women’s reports of partner alcohol use and their experience of IPV, in three countries in Africa.DesignPooled analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from men and women participating in four IPV prevention studies across Africa and Asia.SettingData from five data sets generated by four violence against women and girls prevention studies in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa, Ghana and Rwanda.Participants8104 men 18+ years old and 5613 women 18+ years old from a mix of volunteer and randomly selected samples.Main outcome measuresStudies employed comparable measures of past year alcohol use, harmful alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test scale) and items from modified WHO Women’s Health and Domestic Violence to measure physical IPV and NPSV perpetration among men and IPV experience among women.FindingsOverall harmful alcohol use among men was associated with a substantially increased odds of perpetrating physical IPV (adjusted OR (aOR)=3.45 (95% CI 2.56 to 4.64)) and NPSV (aOR=2.64 (95% CI 1.85 to 3.76)) compared with non-drinkers. Women who had seen their partner occasionally drunk (aOR=2.68 (95% CI 2.13 to 3.36)) or frequently drunk (aOR=5.94 (95% CI 4.19 to 8.41)) in the past 12 months had an increased odds of experiencing physical IPV.ConclusionsAlcohol use is associated with increased IPV and NPSV perpetration for men and (physical) IPV experience for women. Reported frequency of IPV and NPSV increase with increasing levels and frequency of alcohol use. Interventions aimed at reducing alcohol may also lead to reductions in IPV and NPSV perpetration and experience.

scholarly journals Alcohol use during pregnancy in Rakai, Uganda

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256434
Author(s):  
Adriane Wynn ◽  
Dorean Nabukalu ◽  
Tom Lutalo ◽  
Maria Wawer ◽  
Larry W. Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Past ◽  
Catholic Religion ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Living With Hiv

Introduction Antenatal alcohol use is linked to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Uganda has one of the highest rates of alcohol use in sub-Saharan Africa, but the prevalence of antenatal alcohol use has not been reported in the Rakai region. Methods We used cross-sectional data from pregnant women in the Rakai Community Cohort Study between March 2017 and September 2018. Using bivariate and multivariable analyses, we assessed associations between self-reported antenatal alcohol use and sociodemographic characteristics, intimate partner violence (IPV), and HIV status. Results Among 960 pregnant women, the median age was 26 years, 35% experienced IPV in the past 12 months, 13% were living with HIV, and 33% reported alcohol use during their current pregnancy. After adjusting for marital status, education, smoking, and HIV status; Catholic religion (AOR: 3.54; 95% CI: 1.89–6.64; compared to other), bar/restaurant work (AOR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.17–4.92; compared to agriculture), >one sex partner in past year (AOR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.17–3.16), a partner that drank before sex in past year (AOR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.48–2.74), and past year IPV (AOR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.14–2.11) were associated with antenatal alcohol use. Conclusion We found that alcohol use during pregnancy was common and associated with religion, occupation, higher numbers of past year sex partners, having a partner who drank before sex in the past 12 months, and IPV experience. More research is needed to understand the quantity, frequency, and timing of antenatal alcohol use; and potential impacts on neonates; and to identify services that are acceptable and effective among pregnant women.

scholarly journals Burden of depressive symptoms and non-alcohol substance abuse; and their association with alcohol use and partner violence: a cross-sectional study in four sub-Saharan Africa countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Bajunirwe ◽  
S. Maling ◽  
H.-O. Adami ◽  
I. O. Ajayi ◽  
J. Volmink ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sub Saharan

In sub-Saharan Africa, there are limited data on burden of non-alcohol substance abuse (NAS) and depressive symptoms (DS), yet potential risk factors such as alcohol and intimate partner violence (IPV) are common and NAS abuse may be the rise. The aim of this study was to measure the burden of DS and NAS abuse, and determine whether alcohol use and IPV are associated with DS and/or NAS abuse. We conducted a cross-sectional study at five sites in four countries: Nigeria (nurses), South Africa (teachers), Tanzania (teachers) and two sites in Uganda (rural and peri-urban residents). Participants were selected by simple random sampling from a sampling frame at each of the study sites. We used a standardized tool to collect data on demographics, alcohol use and NAS use, IPV and DS and calculated prevalence ratios (PR). We enrolled 1415 respondents and of these 34.6% were male. DS occurred among 383 (32.3%) and NAS use among 52 (4.3%). In the multivariable analysis, being female (PR  =  1.49, p  =  0.008), NAS abuse (PR  =  2.06, p  =  0.02) and IPV (PR  =  2.93, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with DS. Older age [odds ratio (OR) = 0.31, p < 0.001)], female (OR = 0.48, p  =  0.036) were protective of NAS but current smokers (OR = 2.98, p < 0.001) and those reporting IPV (OR  =  2.16, p  =  0.024) were more likely to use NAS. Longitudinal studies should be done to establish temporal relationships with these risk factors to provide basis for interventions.

scholarly journals Investigation of the Possible Moderators of Alcohol-Related Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-83
Author(s):  
Ekpenyong M.S. ◽  
Tawari E. P.2
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sub Saharan

Alcohol-related intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue which has attracted a lot of research and debates. While some studies have reported the relationship between alcohol and IPV to be linear, others have reported threshold effects. While some studies have found the link to be strong, others have reported it to be weak or to show no association. The aim of this study was to determine the possible moderators on the alcohol-IPV link in sub-Saharan Africa. For the quantitative study, secondary analysis and meta-analysis were used to analyze cross-sectional data from the demographic and health surveys of ten countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). Logistic regression analysis of possible moderators of the alcohol-IPV link was determined in ten sub-Saharan African countries. The nature of moderation was different among countries. The results of this study can be applied in planning country-specific and multi-faceted intervention programmes.

scholarly journals Alcohol use and intimate partner violence among women and their partners in sub-Saharan Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Greene ◽  
J. C. Kane ◽  
W. A. Tol
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Male Partner ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Relationship

Background:Alcohol use is a well-documented risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV); however, the majority of research comes from high-income countries.Methods:Using nationally representative data from 86 024 women that participated in the Demographic and Health Surveys, we evaluated the relationship between male partner alcohol use and experiencing IPV in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Using multilevel mixed-effects models, we calculated the within-country, between-country, and contextual effects of alcohol use on IPV.Results:Prevalence of partner alcohol use and IPV ranged substantially across countries (3–62 and 11–60%, respectively). Partner alcohol use was associated with a significant increase in the odds of reporting IPV for all 14 countries included in this analysis. Furthermore, the relationship between alcohol use and IPV, although largely explained by partner alcohol use, was also attributable to overall prevalence of alcohol use in a given country. The partner alcohol use–IPV relationship was moderated by socioeconomic status (SES): among women with a partner who used alcohol those with lower SES had higher odds of experiencing IPV than women with higher SES.Conclusions:Results of this study suggest that partner alcohol use is a robust correlate of IPV in SSA; however, drinking norms may independently relate to IPV and confound the relationship between partner alcohol use and IPV. These findings motivate future research employing experimental and longitudinal designs to examine alcohol use as a modifiable risk factor of IPV and as a novel target for treatment and prevention research to reduce IPV in SSA.

Rainfall shocks and intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-390
Author(s):  
Sara Cools ◽  
Martin Flatø ◽  
Andreas Kotsadam
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Event History Analysis ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Extreme Precipitation Events ◽  
History Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan

Global climate change makes extreme precipitation events likely to become more frequent and intense in large parts of Africa. We study the effect of rainfall shocks on intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis shows the presence of spatial autocorrelation in rainfall shocks, which compromises the exogeneity of rainfall shocks in many applications. We correct for the autocorrelation using spatial polynomials. In particular, we use three different estimation strategies. We first use the complete cross-sectional sample to analyze whether recent droughts are correlated with respondents’ experience with intimate partner violence during the last year. We then use the nine countries with repeated surveys to construct a repeated cross-section analysis at the grid level. Finally, we use event history analysis on a time series constructed from the information provided by the abused women about when the violence first took place. We find no robust evidence that droughts increase intimate partner violence. Potential explanations are that the rainfall shocks do not affect spouses’ power, or that the slow onset of the droughts allows for a calmer response to the crisis. We contribute to the wider literature on climate and conflict as many of the mechanisms, economic and psychological, that link climate to violence apply to both intimate partner violence and organized violence.

scholarly journals Interpersonal violence in peacetime Malawi

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e000252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca G Maine ◽  
Brittney Williams ◽  
Jennifer A Kincaid ◽  
Gift Mulima ◽  
Carlos Varela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Collective Violence ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Trauma Victims ◽  
Sub Saharan

BackgroundThe contribution of interpersonal violence (IPV) to trauma burden varies greatly by region. The high rates of IPV in sub-Saharan Africa are thought to relate in part to the high rates of collective violence. Malawi, a country with no history of internal collective violence, provides an excellent setting to evaluate whether collective violence drives the high rates of IPV in this region.MethodsThis is a retrospective review of a prospective trauma registry from 2009 through 2016 at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Adult (>16 years) victims of IPV were compared with non-intentional trauma victims. Log binomial regression determined factors associated with increased risk of mortality for victims of IPV.ResultsOf 72 488 trauma patients, 25 008 (34.5%) suffered IPV. Victims of IPV were more often male (80.2% vs. 74.8%; p<0.001), younger (median age: 28 years (IQR: 23–34) vs. 30 years (IQR: 24–39); p<0.001), and were more often admitted at night (47.4% vs. 31.9%; p<0.001). Of the IPV victims, 16.5% admitted alcohol use, compared with only 4.4% in other trauma victims (p<0.001). In regression modeling, compared with extremity injuries, head injuries (3.14, 2.24–4.39; p<0.001) and torso injuries (4.32, 2.98–6.27; p<0.001) had increased risk of mortality. Compared with other or unknown mechanisms, penetrating injuries also had increased risk of mortality (1.46, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.81, p=0.001). Alcohol use was associated with a lower risk of mortality (0.54, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.75; p<0.001).DiscussionEven in a sub-Saharan country that never experienced internal collective violence, IPV injury rates are high. Public health efforts to measure and address alcohol use, and studies to determine the role of “mob justice,” poverty, and intimate partner violence in IPV, in Malawi are needed.Level of evidenceLevel III.

Women as perpetrators of intimate partner violence in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Y. Tenkorang
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Regression Techniques ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Ghanaian Women ◽  
Self Defence

Previous studies on intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa and Ghana focused mainly on male-perpetrated violence, with little emphasis on female-perpetrated abuse and the factors influencing it. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data collected in 2017 from a sample of 2,289 Ghanaian women and applying regression techniques, this study explored the determinants of female-perpetrated violence. Results indicate that a substantial proportion of respondents perpetrated emotional violence against their partners; few used physical or sexual violence. Victims of intimate partner violence were more likely to perpetrate violence against their partners than those who had never been victimised. Women were more likely to perpetrate specific types of violence (physical, sexual or emotional) if they: thought their partners were controlling; expected to encounter violence in the future; thought their relationships had some level of tension; and/or were exposed to violence in their early childhood. The findings provide qualified support for the proposition that women perpetrate violence against their partners for reasons of self-defence but also show that the violence is mutual and bidirectional. The findings point to the complexities of the context of the violence perpetrated by women and suggest that domestic violence interventions should acknowledge these complexities.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Few studies examine female-perpetrated violence in sub-Saharan Africa and Ghana.</li><br /><li>This study fills an important scholarly gap by exploring the determinants of female-perpetrated violence in Ghana.</li><br /><li>Findings provide qualified support for the proposition that women perpetrate violence against their partners for reasons of self-defence, but also show that the violence is mutual and bidirectional.</li></ul>

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