TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding the factors associated with married women’s attitudes towards wife-beating in sub-Saharan Africa
AU - ZEGEYE, Betregiorgis
AU - OLORUNSAIYE, Comfort Z.
AU - AHINKORAH, Bright Opoku
AU - AMEYAW, Edward Kwabena
AU - BUDU, Eugene
AU - SEIDU, Abdul Aziz
AU - YAYA, Sanni
N1 - © 2022. The Author(s).
PY - 2022/6/18
Y1 - 2022/6/18
N2 - Background
Intimate partner violence remains a major
public health problem, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We
examined the factors associated with married women’s attitudes towards
wife-beating in sub-Saharan Africa.
Methods
We used Demographic and Health Survey data
of 28 sub-Saharan African countries that had surveys conducted between 2010 and
2019. A sample of 253,782 married women was considered for the analysis.
Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out, and
the results were presented using crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio
(aOR) at 95% confidence interval.
Results
The pooled result showed about 71.4% of
married women in the 28 countries in this study did not justify wife-beating.
However, the prevalence of non-justification of wife-beating varied from 83.4%
in Malawi to 17.7% in Mali. Women’s age (40–44 years-aOR = 1.61, 95% CI
1.16–2.24), women’s educational level (secondary school-aOR = 1.47, 95% CI
1.13–1.91), husband’s educational level (higher-aOR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.31–0.95),
women’s occupation type (professional, technical or managerial-aOR = 1.66, 95%
CI 1.06–2.62), wealth index (richest-aOR = 5.52, 95% CI 3.46–8.80) and women’s
decision-making power (yes-aOR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.19–1.62) were significantly
associated with attitude towards wife-beating.
Conclusion
Overall, less than three-fourth of married
women in the 28 sub-Saharan African countries disagreed with wife-beating but
marked differences were observed across socio-economic, decision making and
women empowerment factors. Enhancing women’s socioeconomic status, decision
making power, and creating employment opportunities for women should be
considered to increase women’s intolerance of wife-beating practices, especially among countries with
low prevalence rates such as Mali.
AB - Background
Intimate partner violence remains a major
public health problem, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We
examined the factors associated with married women’s attitudes towards
wife-beating in sub-Saharan Africa.
Methods
We used Demographic and Health Survey data
of 28 sub-Saharan African countries that had surveys conducted between 2010 and
2019. A sample of 253,782 married women was considered for the analysis.
Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out, and
the results were presented using crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio
(aOR) at 95% confidence interval.
Results
The pooled result showed about 71.4% of
married women in the 28 countries in this study did not justify wife-beating.
However, the prevalence of non-justification of wife-beating varied from 83.4%
in Malawi to 17.7% in Mali. Women’s age (40–44 years-aOR = 1.61, 95% CI
1.16–2.24), women’s educational level (secondary school-aOR = 1.47, 95% CI
1.13–1.91), husband’s educational level (higher-aOR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.31–0.95),
women’s occupation type (professional, technical or managerial-aOR = 1.66, 95%
CI 1.06–2.62), wealth index (richest-aOR = 5.52, 95% CI 3.46–8.80) and women’s
decision-making power (yes-aOR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.19–1.62) were significantly
associated with attitude towards wife-beating.
Conclusion
Overall, less than three-fourth of married
women in the 28 sub-Saharan African countries disagreed with wife-beating but
marked differences were observed across socio-economic, decision making and
women empowerment factors. Enhancing women’s socioeconomic status, decision
making power, and creating employment opportunities for women should be
considered to increase women’s intolerance of wife-beating practices, especially among countries with
low prevalence rates such as Mali.
KW - Domestic violence
KW - Global health
KW - Sub-Saharan Africa
KW - Wife-beating
KW - Women’s empowerment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132133195&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12905-022-01809-8
DO - 10.1186/s12905-022-01809-8
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
C2 - 35717213
AN - SCOPUS:85132133195
SN - 1472-6874
VL - 22
JO - BMC Women's Health
JF - BMC Women's Health
IS - 1
M1 - 242
ER -