Prevalence and its predictors of intimate partner violence against pregnant women amid COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest Ethiopia, 2021: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives: Preventive measures like staying-at-home and social distancing are among the top strategies on the list to avert the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 and its consequences. However, this strategy brings off another shadow pandemic of intimate partner violence against women, and no study has been done to assess the magnitude of intimate partner violence against pregnant women during the pandemic in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence and its predictors in Southwest Ethiopia amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted, from 15 June 2021 to 15 August 2021, on a total of 590 pregnant women recruited by systematic random sampling techniques. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collect data, and the data were entered using EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 24. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of intimate partner violence. Finally, statistical significance was declared at a p-value <0.05. Results: The prevalence of intimate partner violence was 39.2%. Of this, 29.8%, 26.8%, and 22.2% of the pregnant women had experienced physical, sexual, and emotional intimate partner violence, respectively. Being illiterate (adjusted odds ratio = 2.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.33–4.19), having illiterate husbands (adjusted odds ratio = 4.79, 95% confidence interval: 2.69–8.55), household decisions made by the husband alone (adjusted odds ratio = 4.91, 95% confidence interval: 3.74–9.33), and pandemic-induced economic downturns (adjusted odds ratio = 9.03, 95% confidence interval: 5.18–15.98) were the predictors that were significantly associated with intimate partner violence. Conclusion: The prevalence of intimate partner violence against pregnant women during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been found to be high in the study area. Thus, more efforts should be tried to integrating intimate partner violence screening in maternal and child healthcare services, and early identification of high-risk individuals, and continuous community-based awareness creation activities are recommended.

The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic and Social Determinants of Health on the Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence. A Systematic Review

“…Increase in the prevalence of IPV was found in thirteen studies that were conducted in countries of Asia ( 13 , 15 , 16 , 20 , 21 , 23 - 27 , 57 , 67 , 69 ), in seven studies that were conducted in countries of North America ( 35 , 37 , 52 , 53 , 60 , 64 , 68 ), in six studies that were conducted in countries of Africa ( 29 , 31 , 34 , 50 , 62 , 63 ), in five studies that were conducted in Europe ( 40 - 42 , 44 , 65 ), in the two studies that were conducted in Australia ( 45 , 61 ), in all four studies that were conducted in countries that belonged both in Asia and Africa ( 46 - 49 ) and in the one study that was conducted in South America ( 66 ).…”

“…In thirty-eight of the studies, the prevalence of IPV was found to be higher during lockdown ( 13 , 15 , 16 , 20 , 21 , 23 - 27 , 29 , 31 , 34 , 35 , 37 , 40 - 42 , 44 - 50 , 52 , 53 , 57 , 60 - 69 ), while in ten the prevalence of IPV ( 14 , 17 , 18 , 22 , 28 , 32 , 33 , 36 , 54 , 58 ) was found to be lower during lockdown. In nine studies the prevalence of IPV did not have a significant change before and during lockdown ( 19 , 30 , 38 , 39 , 43 , 51 , 55 , 56 , 59 ) ( Table 1 ).…”

“…In thirty studies was found a correlation between social determinants of health and intimate partner violence ( 13 , 14 , 17 - 19 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 29 - 36 , 39 , 43 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 51 , 58 - 63 , 66 , 67 ). Nine of these studies were conducted in countries of Asia ( 13 , 14 , 17 - 19 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 67 ), eleven in countries of Africa ( 29 - 34 , 51 , 58 , 59 , 62 , 63 ), four in North America ( 35 , 36 , 39 , 60 ), one in Australia ( 61 ), one in Europe ( 43 ), one in South America ( 66 ) and three in countries that belonged in Asia and Africa ( 46 , 47 , 49 ).…”

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The three studies from the Oromia region revealed that the prevalence of IPV during pregnancy was 25.8%, 35.6%, and 44.5% [ 25 , 40 , 41 ]. The two studies from the Harar region revealed that the prevalence of IPV during pregnancy was 30.5% and 39% [ 34 , 42 ], and the three studies from the SNNPR region revealed that the prevalence of IPV during pregnancy were 21%, 23%, and 39.2% [ 33 , 43 , 44 ]. The overall pooled prevalence of IPV during pregnancy was 32.23% (95% CI: 28.02% -36.45%)( Fig 2 ).…”

Domestic violence: A cross‐sectional study among pregnant and postpartum women

“…For instance, IPV violence during pregnancy was reported among 7.1% of Ethiopian pregnant women (Teshome et al, 2021). In contrast, a community-based study conducted in Southwest Ethiopia revealed that the prevalence of IPV was 39.2% among pregnant women (Fetene et al, 2022). Data from a population online survey conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo showed that 11.7% of women reported any form of IPV and being pregnant significantly increased the odds of reporting IPV (Ditekemena et al, 2021).…”