Intimate partner violence and human immunodeficiency virus infection among married women in Addis Ababa

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus is a public health problem in sub-Saharan countries, with complex determinant factors. Intimate partner violence, although known to associate with acquiring human immunodeficiency virus understanding how it relates to sexual risk behaviors is important.Objective: To assess the relationship of human immunodeficiency virus with intimate partner violence as related to risky-sexual behaviors.Methods: A facility based case control study was conducted among human immunodeficiency virus positive and negative women visiting antenatal care. A total of 128 positive and 382 negative women from the prevention service of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus in selected health facilities in Addis Ababa were included. A standardized and pretested questionnaire was used to assess the experience of intimate partner violence, and sexual behaviors of women and their spouses.Result: Physical violence during lifetime is associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection status. Besides, sexual violence by strangers is associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection. Risky sexual behaviors, represented by having multiple partners, transactional sex and having a casual partner, were associated with intimate partner violence as well as human immunodeficiency virus infection status. Similarly, report of experiencing symptoms of sexually transmitted infection and having suspected unfaithful spouse were associated with intimate partner violence and human immunodeficiency virus infection status.Conclusion: The study showed that intimate partner violence could be associated directly and in directly with human immunodeficiency virus infection by increasing exposure to risky sexual behaviors and considered as a resolution for disparate sexual behavioral. Therefore, prevention and control interventions against intimate partner violence could play significant role in prevention and control of human immunodeficiency virus infection

Intimate maternal partner violence and low birth weight in Addis Ababa public hospitals

Introduction: There are limited up-to-date studies addressing the relationship between intimate partner violence and birth outcome among women in Ethiopia. This study was, therefore, conducted to examine the association between intimate partner violence during pregnancy and birth weight of newborns.Methods: The study employed a facility-based case control design and conducted in pregnant women who gave birth in public Hospitals in Addis Ababa during March-June 2014. The study used a pre-tested questionnaire to collect data through face-to-face interviews. Exposure to intimate partner violence and other explanatory factors were examined in a total of 112 neonates with low birth weight and235 neonates with normal birth weight. The data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariable regression analysis.Results: The proportion of physical violence by partner was 33.9% among cases and 17.4% among controls, and sexual violence was 41.1% and 18.7% among cases and controls, respectively. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, obstetric conditions and substance use, the odds of experiencing physical violence (AOR=8.11; 95% CI; (1.92, 34.3)), sexual violence (AOR=6.02; 95% CI; (1.77, 20.5)), and physical or sexual violence (AOR=5.18; 95%CI;(1.53, 17.6)), by intimate partner was significantly higher among cases compared to controls.Conclusion: Low birth weight is strongly associated with intimate partner violence during pregnancy. We recommend health professionals providing antenatal care services to engage spouses to ensure their understanding and involvement in the prevention of intimate partner violence

Intimate partner violence in early adolescence:the role of gender; socioeconomic factors and the school

BACKGROUND:Intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents is common worldwide; but our understanding of perpetration; gender differences and the role of social-ecological factors remains limited.OBJECTIVES:To explore the prevalence of physical and sexual IPV perpetration and victimisation by gender; and associated risk and protective factors.METHODS:Young adolescents (N=2 839) from 41 randomly selected public high schools in the Western Cape region of South Africa (SA); participating in the PREPARE study; completed a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS:The participants' mean age was 13.65 years (standard deviation 1.01); with 19.1% (541/2 839) reporting being victims/survivors of IPV and 13.0% (370/2 839) reporting perpetrating IPV. Girls were less likely to report being a victim/survivor of physical IPV (odds ratio (OR) 0.72; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57 - 0.92) and less likely to be a perpetrator of sexual IPV than boys (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.21 - 0.52). Factors associated with perpetration of physical and sexual IPV were similar and included being a victim/survivor (physical IPV: OR 12.42; 95% CI 8.89 - 17.36; sexual IPV: OR 20.76; 95% CI 11.67 - 36.93); being older (physical IPV: OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.08 - 1.47; sexual IPV: OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.14 - 1.62 ); having lower scores on school connectedness (physical IPV: OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.46 - 0.75; sexual IPV: OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.42 - 0.76) and scoring lower on feelings of school safety (physical IPV: OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.57 - 0.77; sexual IPV: OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.40 - 0.62).CONCLUSIONS:Physical and sexual IPV was commonly reported among young adolescents in SA. Further qualitative exploration of the role of reciprocal violence by gender is needed; and the role of 'school climate'-related factors should be taken into account when developing preventive interventions