Working from home and intimate partner violence among cis-women during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from a global, cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) may have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis aimed to determine how employment disruption during COVID-19, including working from home, was associated with IPV experience among cis-gendered women. METHODS: The International Sexual Health and Reproductive health (I-SHARE) study is a cross-sectional online survey implemented in 30 countries during the pandemic. Samples used convenience, online panel, and population-representative methods. IPV was a pre-specified primary outcome, measured using questions from a validated World Health Organisation instrument. Conditional logistic regression modelling was used to quantify the associations between IPV and changes to employment during COVID-19, adjusted for confounding. RESULTS: 13,416 cis-gender women, aged 18-97, were analysed. One third were from low and middle income countries, and two thirds from high income countries. The majority were heterosexual (82.7%), educated beyond secondary-level (72.4%) and childless (62.7%). During COVID-19 33.9% women worked from home, 14.6% lost employment, and 33.1% continued to work on-site. 15.5% experienced some form of IPV. Women working from home experienced greater odds of IPV than those working on-site (adjusted OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.12-1.74, p = 0.003). This finding was robust independent of sampling strategy and country income. The association was primarily driven by an increase in psychological violence, which was more prevalent than sexual or physical violence. The association was stronger in countries with high gender inequality. CONCLUSIONS: Working from home may increase IPV risk globally. Workplaces offering working from home should collaborate with support services and research interventions to strengthen resiliency against IPV.

Prevalence, Perpetrators, and Factors Associated With Intimate Partner Violence Among Adolescents Living in Urban Slums of Kampala, Uganda.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses a public health burden, yet few studies have assessed co-existence of physical, emotional, and sexual IPV among adolescents. We assessed recent IPV victimization and associated factors and described IPV patterns and perpetrators among young people from urban slums in Kampala, Uganda. We conducted a prospective cohort study among 14 to 19-year-old individuals enrolled from March 2019 to March 2020 and followed quarterly for 12 months. We collected data on socio-demographics, sexual behavior, and substance use through interviews. Recent IPV victimization was documented at all visits if a participant reported experiencing physical, emotional, and/or sexual IPV in the past 3 months. Baseline factors associated with recent IPV victimization were determined using multivariable logistic regression. We enrolled 490 adolescents (60.6% female) with median age 18 years (Interquartile range (IQR) 17-18 years), 91.0% had less than secondary level education. Females mainly engaged in sex work (17.5%) and selling fruits/snacks (9.1%) while males commonly earned from sale of metal scrap or plastic waste (28.5%), 41% reported ≥10 life-time sexual partners, 16.1% were high-risk alcohol drinkers and 34.9% used illicit drugs in the past 3 months. Overall, 27.8% reported recent IPV victimization (20.0% females) with emotional IPV being common (17.8%). At baseline, recent IPV victimization was associated with high-risk alcohol consumption (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.44, 4.58]), reported paid sex in the past 3 months (aOR 1.82; [1.02, 3.22]) and being separated (aOR 2.47; [1.29, 4.73]). Recent IPV victimization declined from baseline to month 9 and increased at month 12 visits which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. IPV victimization is high among young people living in urban slums with emotional IPV being prevalent. IPV interventions are needed and should also address excessive alcohol consumption.

Experience and perpetration of intimate partner violence and abuse by gender of respondent and their current partner before and during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020: a cross-sectional study in 13 countries.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) includes controlling behaviours, psychological, physical, sexual and financial abuse. Globally, surveys and emergency services have recorded an increase in IPVA since restrictions were imposed to limit COVID-19 transmission. Most studies have only included heterosexual women. METHODS: Data from the Global Drug Survey (an annual, anonymous, online survey collecting data on drug use) Special Edition were analysed to explore the impact of COVID-19 on people's lives, including their intimate relationships. Five relationship groupings were created using respondents' lived gender identity: women partnered with men (46.9%), women partnered with women (2.1%), men partnered with men (2.9%), men partnered with women (47.2%), and partnerships where one or both partners were non-binary (1%). Self-reported experience and perpetration of IPVA in the past 30 days before (February) and during COVID-19 restrictions (May or June) in 2020 (N = 35,854) was described and compared for different relationship groupings using Fishers Exact Tests. Changes in IPVA during restrictions were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: During restrictions, 17.8 and 16.6% of respondents had experienced or perpetrated IPVA respectively; 38.2% of survivors and 37.6% of perpetrators reported this had increased during restrictions. Greater proportions of non-binary respondents or respondents with a non-binary partner reported experiencing or perpetrating IPVA (p < .001) than other relationship groupings. 22.0% of respondents who were non-binary or had a non-binary partner, 19.5% of men partnered with men, 18.9% of men partnered with women, 17.1% of women partnered with women and 16.6% of women partnered with men reported experiencing IPVA. Respondents with higher psychological distress, poor coping with pandemic-related changes, relationship tension and changes (increases or increases and decreases) in alcohol consumption reported increased experience of IPVA during restrictions. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that IPVA can occur in all intimate relationships, regardless of gender of the perpetrator or survivor. Non-binary respondents or respondents with non-binary partners reported the highest use and experience of IPVA. Most IPVA victim support services have been designed for heterosexual, cisgender women. IPVA support services and perpetrator programmes must be tailored to support all perpetrators and survivors during the pandemic and beyond, regardless of their sexual or gender identity.

Intimate Partner Violence During COVID-19 Restrictions: A Study of 30 Countries From the I-SHARE Consortium.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) causes substantial physical and psychological trauma. Restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including lockdowns and movement restrictions, may exacerbate IPV risk and reduce access to IPV support services. This cross-sectional study examines IPV during COVID-19 restrictions in 30 countries from the International Sexual HeAlth and REproductive Health (I-SHARE) study conducted from July 20th, 2020, to February, 15th, 2021. IPV was a primary outcome measure adapted from a World Health Organization multicountry survey. Mixed-effects modeling was used to determine IPV correlates among participants stratified by cohabitation status. The sample included 23,067 participants from 30 countries. A total of 1,070/15,336 (7.0%) participants stated that they experienced IPV during COVID-19 restrictions. A total of 1,486/15,336 (9.2%) participants stated that they had experienced either physical or sexual partner violence before the restrictions, which then decreased to 1,070 (7.0%) after the restrictions. In general, identifying as a sexual minority and experiencing greater economic vulnerability were associated with higher odds of experiencing IPV during COVID-19 restrictions, which were accentuated among participants who were living with their partners. Greater stringency of COVID-19 restrictions and living in urban or semi-urban areas were associated with lower odds of experiencing IPV in some settings. The I-SHARE data suggest a substantial burden of IPV during COVID-19 restrictions. However, the restrictions were correlated with reduced IPV in some settings. There is a need for investing in specific support systems for survivors of IPV during the implementation of restrictions designed to contain infectious disease outbreaks.

Effects of mandatory homeschooling during COVID-19 on conflict in romantic couples.

In early 2020, schools across Canada closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring parents to homeschool their children. We examined the association between homeschooling and romantic conflict among couples during the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian couples (N = 756) completed online measures, including whether they were homeschooling, hours spent homeschooling, and romantic conflict during the month of April 2020. Two hundred ten couples (27.8%) reported that they were homeschooling their children during this period, with 173 (22.9%) couples homeschooling due to the pandemic. Multilevel regressions were used to examine the association between homeschooling status and romantic conflict, and actor-partner interdependence models (APIMs) were used to examine the association between homeschooling hours and romantic conflict among homeschoolers. In our APIM analyses, significant links between hours spent homeschooling and romantic conflict were observed, even when controlling for demographic variables. We found significant actor effects, where an individual's own homeschooling hours were positively related to the conflict they enacted toward their partner, and significant partner effects, where the partner's homeschooling hours were positively related to conflict received by the individual. Among all couples, we found significant positive associations between homeschooling status (i.e., nonhomeschooler or homeschooler) and both types of romantic conflict. However, these associations were nonsignificant when controlling for demographic variables. Our findings suggest the number of hours spent in homeschooling may be an important contributor to romantic conflict between partners during the pandemic. We discuss implications for schools and governments in providing additional support for families homeschooling children during mandated school closures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Changes in Couples' Relationships and Their Differences in Type during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China.

PURPOSE: This study explores changes in couples' relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, and analyzes the differences in the changes across three types: positive communication, criticism/defense, and demand/withdrawal. METHOD: A total of 600 (567 valid) Chinese respondents participated in this study, and a questionnaire was utilized to determine changes in their overall relationship, verbal and nonverbal communication, emotion, and activities with their spouses. RESULTS: The average score of items related to positive communication is higher, compared with that of negative communication. Compared with the other two types of relationships, respondents with positive communication scored highest on all items related to positive communication and lowest on all items related to negative communication. Significant differences were noted between the positive communication types and the others. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that the relationships of couples included in this study have improved during the current pandemic. Therefore, improved consistency in the type of intimacy can lead to improved quality of couples' relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sexuality of couples formed during the pandemic: An exploratory study.

Covid-19 has been affecting people's lives on a social, economic, emotional, and sexual level. This study aims to investigate any change in how couples formed during the pandemic got to know the partner and experienced sexuality, including factors that could have influenced those changes in comparison with a pre-pandemic period. Particularly, focus groups (N = 26 women) were conducted and an online questionnaire (N = 120; 41 men and 79 women) was administered. Given the exploratory qualitative nature of the present research, no specific hypothesis was tested. Most of the sample reported an increase in sexual desire, sexual frequency, and quality of intercourse, perceiving an early development of intimacy. The results highlight the lack of stress and fear of contagion. The intense state of euphoria, typical of the initial phase of the relationship, has perhaps allowed the couples to overcome the obstacles due to the restrictions. This study underlines the role of being in love in the survival of the species, as it allows for the creation of steady relationships even in moments of danger.

COVID Stress, socioeconomic deprivation, and intimate partner aggression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is a prevalent public health concern that is associated with multiple negative consequences. Rates of IPA in the U.S. have increased since the onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, likely due to stress associated with the pandemic. Socioeconomic deprivation is associated with COVID-19 outcomes as well as IPA. However, whether socioeconomic deprivation interacts with COVID-19 stress in predicting IPA remains unclear. METHODS: Using a sample of 510 individuals recruited via Qualtrics Research Services in April 2020, the present study tested whether socioeconomic deprivation moderates the association between COVID-19 stress and IPA perpetration and victimization. Participants completed a questionnaire battery that included measures of COVID-19 stressors and physical and psychological IPA perpetration and victimization. In addition, participants reported their residential zip codes, which were subsequently matched with scores on the Social Deprivation Index, a composite measure of seven demographic variables from the 5-year American Community Survey. RESULTS: Sequential generalized linear models in Mplus Version 8.7 showed that the effects of COVID-19 stress on physical IPA perpetration and psychological IPA victimization can be best understood through its interactive effects with socioeconomic deprivation. Higher COVID-19 stress was associated with higher levels of physical IPA perpetration and psychological IPA victimization when socioeconomic deprivation was low but not when socioeconomic deprivation was high. Importantly, however, overall rates of IPA were higher among individuals with higher socioeconomic deprivation than among individuals with lower socioeconomic deprivation, regardless of the amount of COVID-19 stress they experienced. CONCLUSIONS: The present analyses implicate COVID-19 stress as a critical correlate of IPA and show that the association between this stress and physical IPA perpetration and psychological IPA victimization may be particularly salient among individuals who live in areas of lower socioeconomic deprivation. Furthermore, our results clearly pinpoint the detrimental effects of socioeconomic deprivation more broadly, showing that individuals who live in more deprived areas tend to have high levels of IPA regardless of their level of COVID-19 stress. These findings call for public health policies at the community and societal level that target not only COVID-related stress but also the impacts of socioeconomic inequality.

Intimate partner violence and trauma-informed care in pregnancy.

Intimate partner violence is defined as any behavior within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological, or sexual harm to those in the relationship. Globally, women are disproportionately victims of intimate partner violence. The risk increases during pregnancy, with estimated rates of as high as 20% among pregnant persons. Intimate partner violence is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, including perinatal and maternal death. Given that pregnancy is a period of frequent interaction with the healthcare system, it is an opportune time to screen and intervene for intimate partner violence. Universal screening at the first prenatal visit and subsequently every trimester is recommended, with either written or verbal validated tools. Pregnant persons experiencing intimate partner violence need nonjudgmental, compassionate, confidential, and trauma-informed care. The goal of this review is to outline pregnancy-specific care considerations.

Global, regional, and national prevalence estimates of physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence against women in 2018.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence against women is a global public health problem with many short-term and long-term effects on the physical and mental health of women and their children. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for its elimination in target 5.2. To monitor governments' progress towards SDG target 5.2, this study aimed to provide global, regional, and country baseline estimates of physical or sexual, or both, violence against women by male intimate partners. METHODS: This study developed global, regional, and country estimates, based on data from the WHO Global Database on Prevalence of Violence Against Women. These data were identified through a systematic literature review searching MEDLINE, Global Health, Embase, Social Policy, and Web of Science, and comprehensive searches of national statistics and other websites. A country consultation process identified additional studies. Included studies were conducted between 2000 and 2018, representative at the national or sub-national level, included women aged 15 years or older, and used act-based measures of physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence. Non-population-based data, including administrative data, studies not generalisable to the whole population, studies with outcomes that only provided the combined prevalence of physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence with other forms of violence, and studies with insufficient data to allow extrapolation or imputation were excluded. We developed a Bayesian multilevel model to jointly estimate lifetime and past year intimate partner violence by age, year, and country. This framework adjusted for heterogeneous age groups and differences in outcome definition, and weighted surveys depending on whether they were nationally or sub-nationally representative. This study is registered with PROSPERO (number CRD42017054100). FINDINGS: The database comprises 366 eligible studies, capturing the responses of 2 million women. Data were obtained from 161 countries and areas, covering 90% of the global population of women and girls (15 years or older). Globally, 27% (uncertainty interval [UI] 23-31%) of ever-partnered women aged 15-49 years are estimated to have experienced physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence in their lifetime, with 13% (10-16%) experiencing it in the past year before they were surveyed. This violence starts early, affecting adolescent girls and young women, with 24% (UI 21-28%) of women aged 15-19 years and 26% (23-30%) of women aged 19-24 years having already experienced this violence at least once since the age of 15 years. Regional variations exist, with low-income countries reporting higher lifetime and, even more pronouncedly, higher past year prevalence compared with high-income countries. INTERPRETATION: These findings show that intimate partner violence against women was already highly prevalent across the globe before the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments are not on track to meet the SDG targets on the elimination of violence against women and girls, despite robust evidence that intimate partner violence can be prevented. There is an urgent need to invest in effective multisectoral interventions, strengthen the public health response to intimate partner violence, and ensure it is addressed in post-COVID-19 reconstruction efforts. FUNDING: UK Department for International Development through the UN Women-WHO Joint Programme on Strengthening Violence against Women Data, and UNDP-UN Population Fund-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction, a cosponsored programme executed by WHO.

Intimate partner violence and COVID-19 among reproductive age women: A community-based cross-sectional survey, Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Intimate partner violence is one of the most common psychological, physical, and sexual assaults toward women which suit the entire life of women, and nowadays, the magnitude accelerates due to coronavirus pandemic. Hence, this study was aimed to examine the prevalence of intimate partner violence and predictors during coronavirus among childbearing-age residents in Debre Berhan. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional survey was employed from 1 May to 1 July 2020. Eight items of women abuse screening tool were used to estimate intimate partner violence. Trained data collectors directly interview randomly selected participants. The data were entered using Epi-info V. 7 and analyzed using SPSS V. 23. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence and the frequency distribution of other variables. During bivariate analysis, predictor variables with a p-value less than 0.25 were nominated to further analysis. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULT: A total of 700 participants were included with a response rate of 95.1%. The prevalence of intimate partner violence in the past single year was 19% with 95% confidence interval = 16.1-21.9. Besides, the prevalence of emotional (19.9%, 95% confidence interval = 16.9-22.8), sexual (10.9%, 95% confidence interval = 8.6-13.2) and physical (9.4%, 95% confidence interval = 7.3-11.6) violence was reported. Women with depressive symptoms, overweight, suicidal ideation, and body image disturbance were significantly associated with intimate partner violence, but not educational status, employment, income, stressful life events, lifetime alcohol use, suicidal attempt, and abortion. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Nearly one out of five interviewed participants had intimate partner violence. Being overweight, having poor body image, and having depression increase intimate partner violence. Special preventive measures and treatment, and other legal services should be taken to alleviate the predictor variables and intimate partner violence.

Increases in Intimate Partner Violence During COVID-19: Prevalence and Correlates.

Measures to contain the global COVID-19 pandemic led to stay-at-home orders across the world, accompanied by fears of a global surge in intimate partner violence (IPV). We administered an online general-population survey to 1169 women and transgender/nonbinary individuals throughout the state of Michigan in June-August 2020 to assess changes in the prevalence, severity, and correlates of IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quota sampling was used to match the racial/ethnic and urban/rural distribution of the state. More than one in seven (15.1%) participants reported physical, sexual, psychological, or technology-facilitated IPV since COVID, similar to the prevalence in the 3 months before COVID (16.2%). However, there were indications that IPV severity increased and that novel cases of IPV are occurring in relationships that previously had no abuse. A majority (64.2%) of individuals who experienced IPV since COVID reported that the IPV was new to the relationship (34.1%) or of increased severity during COVID-19 (26.6%), representing 9.7% of the overall sample. New or increased IPV was significantly more prevalent among those who were essential workers, pregnant, unable to afford rent, unemployed/underemployed or had recent changes to their job, had partners with recent changes to employment, and those who had gotten tested or tested positive for COVID-19. Urban residence, trans/nonbinary identity, and having a toddler were more strongly associated with IPV during COVID as compared to before COVID. While findings do not support significant changes in the overall prevalence of IPV, the majority of survivors reported incident IPV in relationships that had not previously been abusive, or IPV that became more severe since the start of the pandemic. Cases of new or increased IPV were more concentrated in marginalized groups. Potential touchpoints for outreach and services during future lockdowns include prenatal and pediatric settings, daycares, employers of essential workers, and COVID-19 testing centers. Policies providing rental, childcare, and unemployment support may mitigate increases in IPV during COVID-19.

The persistent and evolving HIV epidemic in American men who have sex with men.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the USA were the first population to be identified with AIDS and continue to be at very high risk of HIV acquisition. We did a systematic literature search to identify the factors that explain the reasons for the ongoing epidemic in this population, using a social-ecological perspective. Common features of the HIV epidemic in American MSM include role versatility and biological, individual, and social and structural factors. The high-prevalence networks of some racial and ethnic minority men are further concentrated because of assortative mixing, adverse life experiences (including high rates of incarceration), and avoidant behaviour because of negative interactions with the health-care system. Young MSM have additional risks for HIV because their impulse control is less developed and they are less familiar with serostatus and other risk mitigation discussions. They might benefit from prevention efforts that use digital technologies, which they often use to meet partners and obtain health-related information. Older MSM remain at risk of HIV and are the largest population of US residents with chronic HIV, requiring culturally responsive programmes that address longer-term comorbidities. Transgender MSM are an understudied population, but emerging data suggest that some are at great risk of HIV and require specifically tailored information on HIV prevention. In the current era of pre-exposure prophylaxis and the undetectable equals untransmittable campaign, training of health-care providers to create culturally competent programmes for all MSM is crucial, since the use of antiretrovirals is foundational to optimising HIV care and prevention. Effective control of the HIV epidemic among all American MSM will require scaling up programmes that address their common vulnerabilities, but are sufficiently nuanced to address the specific sociocultural, structural, and behavioural issues of diverse subgroups.

The Hyperperception Model: When Your Partner's New Friends Inspire Jealousy and Failing to Use Social Distancing.

The hyperperception model was used to derive hypotheses concerning the processes by which people experience romantic jealousy because of their observation of their romantic partners on social network sites. The main focus was on the receiver component of the model that specifies that when observation of others' interactions is constrained to social media, those interactions appear more intimate than when the dyad is also observable offline. A survey (N = 322) was conducted to test this component of the model and determine if the model can predict additional phenomena such as possession signals and staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were generally consistent with the hypotheses and the utility of the hyperperception model for understanding the effects of observing romantic partners' interactions on social media. The data also reveal the importance of interpersonal processes in obeying social distancing guidelines.

Jealousy and Electronic Intrusion Mediated by Relationship Uncertainty in Married and Cohabiting Couples During COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique threats to romantic relationships as couples were issued to stay at home by a mandatory order, limiting social interactions with others. Although technology allows for social interactions, the privacy of interactions through technology may be compromised. Electronic intrusion (EI) occurs when individuals covertly gain access of their partner's mobile device to go through content (e.g., text messages, private messages on social media sites), and previous study indicates serious consequences of EI, including increased rates of intimate partner violence, depressive symptoms, and heavy episodic drinking. This study examines jealousy, relationship uncertainty (RU), and EI in a sample of American adults. We hypothesized that jealousy would be related to greater acts of EI, and that this association will be mediated by RU. Data were collected from 754 Qualtrics Panels participants (50 percent male) with an average age of 41.7 years. Most participants (85.7 percent) were married. Results supported hypotheses, demonstrating that jealousy was associated with more EI, and this was due to uncertainty about the relationship's future. This study illuminates a need to study cyberdating abuse (CDA) in older and married populations. Future research should consider the effects of other relationship-specific emotions and cognitions on EI and further develop strategies aimed at reducing risks for CDA in romantic relationships.

COVID-19 psychological and financial stress and their links to drinking: A dyadic analysis in romantic couples.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented event for the entire world. Stay-at-home orders, many children being taught at home, health anxieties, and the subsequent economic downturn have collectively resulted in significant stress. Recent work has established that some individuals report drinking more in response to experiencing pandemic-related stress, but data has largely been limited to individuals and to psychological stress. Methods: This research investigated how own (actor) and partner psychological and financial stress about the pandemic were associated with alcohol consumption, high-intensity drinking frequency, coping motives, and alcohol-related problems in a sample of 118 couples during the month of July 2020. We also explored whether own (actor) and partner effects were moderated by gender. Results: Results using indistinguishable Actor-partner interdependence models (APIMs) demonstrated that own psychological stress was associated with higher scores on all drinking indices, and own financial stress was associated with higher coping motives and alcohol-related problems. Partner psychological and financial stress was related to own greater endorsement of coping motives, and partner financial stress was related to own greater endorsement of alcohol-related problems. In APIMs with mixed-sex couples, men's psychological and financial stress were positively related to both his own and his partner's drinks per week, high-intensity drinking, and coping motives. Men's financial stress was also positively related to his own and his partner's alcohol-related problems. Conclusions: Results provide considerable insight into couple dynamics related to pandemic stress and have direct implications for alcohol prevention and treatment efforts as we navigate this serious crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Intimate Partner Violence and its Mental Health Implications Amid COVID-19 Lockdown: Findings Among Nigerian Couples.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been identified as a global health problem with increasing mental health consequences. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Nigeria, couples were compelled to spend more time together, regardless of their pre-existing challenges. Our study aims to determine the prevalence of IPV, its forms, and mental health implications among Nigerian households amid the COVID-19 lockdown. A cross-sectional study was implemented which used the snowball sampling technique to recruit 474 participants across 31 states in Nigeria. A semi-structured online questionnaire was distributed using the WhatsApp platform. The relationship between IPV, its forms, and associated factors were analyzed using descriptive analysis and logistic regression with significant value at p ≤ .05 and confidence interval of 95%. Majority (98.1%) of the participants had at least a college degree and 90.1% were employed. Overall prevalence of IPV ranged from 7.2% to 13.5%. Using the lockdown as the landmark, higher prevalence was found before than during the lockdown across physical, emotional, financial, and sexual forms of IPV. Emotional form had the highest prevalence both before and during the lockdown with 11.4% and 3.8% respectively. Furthermore, 22.6% of participants reported that the lockdown affected their mental health. Hopelessness, feelings of failure, being irritable, and constantly under strain were psychological symptoms significantly associated with IPV amid the lockdown. Decreased prevalence of IPV were found in the early phase of the pandemic, suggesting that couples can experience less partner violence during periods of confinement. Our study supports existing evidence that forms of IPV have negative mental health consequences on abused partners.

Toward an optimized measure of perceived partner responsiveness: Development and validation of the perceived responsiveness and insensitivity scale.

Perceived partner responsiveness (PPR; Reis & Shaver, Handbook of personal relationships, 1988, Wiley)-the belief that one's partner will attend to core concerns-is a construct in basic relationship research that can help evaluate intimacy in couple therapy. However, research into PPR is hampered by a lack of standardized measurement. Three studies were undertaken to develop and evaluate an optimized self-report PPR measure. In Study 1, n = 2,334 respondents completed 246 candidate items derived from 19 PPR measures. Exploratory factor analyses identified two underlying dimensions, Responsiveness and Insensitivity. Item response theory was used to develop two 8-item subscales for the Perceived Responsiveness and Insensitivity scale (PRI), both of which showed incremental prediction over global satisfaction. In Study 2, n = 173 respondents completed the brief PRI along with measures of global relationship evaluations and concrete relationship behaviors every other week for 8 weeks. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models found the PRI subscales were more sensitive than global evaluations to fluctuations in support and conflict. In Study 3, n = 161 heterosexual couples completed the brief PRI along with self-reports of responsive and insensitive behaviors. Actor-partner interdependence models demonstrated the PRI subscales were associated with partners' self-reported behaviors even after controlling for own behaviors. Thus, the PRI offers a PPR measure that demonstrates desirable properties for treatment research including (a) incremental validity over global satisfaction, (b) ability to detect meaningful change over time, and (c) sensitivity to partners' behaviors in the relationship. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Household food insecurity and its association with self-reported male perpetration of intimate partner violence: a survey of two districts in central and western Uganda.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the lifetime prevalence of male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV), and to assess the association with food insecurity, sociodemographic factors and health risk behaviours in Uganda in the year preceding COVID-19-associated lockdowns. DESIGN: Population-based, cross-sectional household survey. SETTING: Urban, semiurban and rural communities of the Wakiso and Hoima districts in Uganda. PARTICIPANTS: A total of N=2014 males aged 13-80 years participated in the survey. The current study included males who reported having ever been in a sexual union and responded to the IPV questions (N=1314). MEASURES: Data were collected face-to-face from May 2018 to July 2019 using an interviewer-mediated questionnaire. Lifetime IPV perpetration was measured as 'no physical and/or sexual IPV', 'physical' versus 'sexual violence only', and 'physical and sexual violence'. Past-year food insecurity was measured through the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and categorised into 'none', 'low' and 'high'. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the crude and adjusted relative risk ratios (aRRRs) of IPV perpetration in relation to self-reported food insecurity, adjusting for sociodemographic and health risk behaviours. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported lifetime IPV perpetration was 14.6% for physical and 6.5% for sexual violence, while 5.3% reported to have perpetrated both physical and sexual IPV. Most (75.7%) males reported no food insecurity, followed by low (20.7%) and high (3.6%) food insecurity. In adjusted models, food insecurity was associated with increased risk of having perpetrated both physical and sexual violence (aRRR=2.57, 95% CI 1.52 to 4.32). IPV perpetration was also independently associated with having had more than one lifetime sexual partner and drinking alcohol, but not with education level or religion. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that food insecurity is associated with male IPV perpetration, and more efforts are needed to prevent and mitigate the expected worsening of this situation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Let's Hook Up When the Pandemic is Over:" Latinx Sexual Minority Men's Sexual Behavior During COVID-19.

COVID-19 led to substantial changes in individuals' lives due to preventive measures, including social distancing and "stay at home" orders. One type of social interaction likely impacted is intimacy and sexual relationships. Sexual minority men have long navigated the impact of another pandemic, HIV, on their sexual lives. This study explored the impact of COVID-19 on Latinx sexual minority men's (LSMM) sexual behaviors in South Florida, an HIV and COVID-19 epicenter. A rapid qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with LSMM (N = 20) revealed five themes: (1) increased sex with a primary partner, (2) fewer sexual partners, (3) continued pre-COVID-19 sexual activity, often following "quarantine fatigue," (4) opportunities and challenges related to navigating COVID-19 prevention and sex, and (5) using sexual networking apps in new ways. The findings suggest LSMM's resilience and their ongoing health needs during COVID-19, with implications for interventions to promote LSMM's safe and satisfying sex.