Understanding the factors associated with married women’s attitudes towards wife-beating in sub-Saharan Africa

BMC Women's Health

Abdul-Aziz Seidu¹  Eugene Budu¹  Comfort Z. Olorunsaiye²  Betregiorgis Zegeye³  Sanni Yaya⁴  Edward Kwabena Ameyaw⁵  Bright Opoku Ahinkorah⁵ 

[1] Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast;Department of Public Health, Arcadia University;HaSET Maternal and Child Health Research Program, Shewarobit Field Office;School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa;School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney;

关键词: Wife-beating;    Domestic violence;    Women’s empowerment;    Sub-Saharan Africa;    Global health;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12905-022-01809-8

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract 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.

【 授权许可】

Unknown