Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategies
Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) has emerged as a global phenomenon, with pregnant women being particularly vulnerable, especially in developing countries. Despite its diverse manifestations and severe impacts, IPV is sometimes perceived as culturally acceptable or as a means of controllin...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-10-01
|
| Series: | Current Medicine Research and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/cmrp.cmrp_105_24 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850180990744395776 |
|---|---|
| author | Benjamin Chukwunonso Okonkwo Nkiru Nwamaka Ezeama Gabriel Chidera Edeh Shadrach Arinze Okolo Chinonuju Franklin Chiekezie Chidindu Prince Anagwu Michael Chukwuebuka Awugosi |
| author_facet | Benjamin Chukwunonso Okonkwo Nkiru Nwamaka Ezeama Gabriel Chidera Edeh Shadrach Arinze Okolo Chinonuju Franklin Chiekezie Chidindu Prince Anagwu Michael Chukwuebuka Awugosi |
| author_sort | Benjamin Chukwunonso Okonkwo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has emerged as a global phenomenon, with pregnant women being particularly vulnerable, especially in developing countries. Despite its diverse manifestations and severe impacts, IPV is sometimes perceived as culturally acceptable or as a means of controlling women.
Aims
This study aimed to assess the prevalence, patterns and determinants of IPV amongst pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at a tertiary hospital in Anambra State, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods
This cross-sectional survey enrolled 400 pregnant women receiving ANC at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State. Data collection utilised semi-structured, self-administered questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.
Results
In this study we found a 21.8% prevalence of IPV. Psychological violence was the most common form, followed by sexual and physical violence at rates of 72.4%, 35.6%, and 32.2% respectively. Risk factors associated with IPV included low educational attainment, maternal unemployment, average monthly income of <50,000 naira, partner unemployment and substance abuse, increased maternal age, having family members choose their partner and marital conflicts. Various coping strategies were identified amongst victims, including help-seeking, spiritual recourse, substance abuse, retaliation and divorce. Alarmingly, 75.9% of the participants took no action when faced with IPV.
Conclusion
This study underscores the prevalence of IPV among pregnant women, with approximately one in five reporting victimisation during pregnancy. Psychological, sexual, and physical forms of violence occurred in decreasing order of prevalence. We found that a range of factors, including individual and relationship-related factors, correlated with increased odds of IPV. Women who experience IPV adopt different strategies, including help-seeking, spiritual recourse, substance abuse, retaliation, divorce and in some cases, passivity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ce52fbf47dd43788d29eda13e1b16ce |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2352-0817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Medicine Research and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ce52fbf47dd43788d29eda13e1b16ce2025-08-20T02:18:00ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsCurrent Medicine Research and Practice2352-08172024-10-0114520020710.4103/cmrp.cmrp_105_24Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategiesBenjamin Chukwunonso OkonkwoNkiru Nwamaka EzeamaGabriel Chidera EdehShadrach Arinze OkoloChinonuju Franklin ChiekezieChidindu Prince AnagwuMichael Chukwuebuka AwugosiBackground Intimate partner violence (IPV) has emerged as a global phenomenon, with pregnant women being particularly vulnerable, especially in developing countries. Despite its diverse manifestations and severe impacts, IPV is sometimes perceived as culturally acceptable or as a means of controlling women. Aims This study aimed to assess the prevalence, patterns and determinants of IPV amongst pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at a tertiary hospital in Anambra State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional survey enrolled 400 pregnant women receiving ANC at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State. Data collection utilised semi-structured, self-administered questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results In this study we found a 21.8% prevalence of IPV. Psychological violence was the most common form, followed by sexual and physical violence at rates of 72.4%, 35.6%, and 32.2% respectively. Risk factors associated with IPV included low educational attainment, maternal unemployment, average monthly income of <50,000 naira, partner unemployment and substance abuse, increased maternal age, having family members choose their partner and marital conflicts. Various coping strategies were identified amongst victims, including help-seeking, spiritual recourse, substance abuse, retaliation and divorce. Alarmingly, 75.9% of the participants took no action when faced with IPV. Conclusion This study underscores the prevalence of IPV among pregnant women, with approximately one in five reporting victimisation during pregnancy. Psychological, sexual, and physical forms of violence occurred in decreasing order of prevalence. We found that a range of factors, including individual and relationship-related factors, correlated with increased odds of IPV. Women who experience IPV adopt different strategies, including help-seeking, spiritual recourse, substance abuse, retaliation, divorce and in some cases, passivity.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/cmrp.cmrp_105_24coping strategiesdeterminantsintimate partner violencepatternpregnant womenprevalence |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin Chukwunonso Okonkwo Nkiru Nwamaka Ezeama Gabriel Chidera Edeh Shadrach Arinze Okolo Chinonuju Franklin Chiekezie Chidindu Prince Anagwu Michael Chukwuebuka Awugosi Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategies Current Medicine Research and Practice coping strategies determinants intimate partner violence pattern pregnant women prevalence |
| title | Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategies |
| title_full | Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategies |
| title_fullStr | Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategies |
| title_short | Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Anambra State, Nigeria: Prevalence, pattern, determinants and coping strategies |
| title_sort | intimate partner violence among pregnant women in anambra state nigeria prevalence pattern determinants and coping strategies |
| topic | coping strategies determinants intimate partner violence pattern pregnant women prevalence |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/cmrp.cmrp_105_24 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT benjaminchukwunonsookonkwo intimatepartnerviolenceamongpregnantwomeninanambrastatenigeriaprevalencepatterndeterminantsandcopingstrategies AT nkirunwamakaezeama intimatepartnerviolenceamongpregnantwomeninanambrastatenigeriaprevalencepatterndeterminantsandcopingstrategies AT gabrielchideraedeh intimatepartnerviolenceamongpregnantwomeninanambrastatenigeriaprevalencepatterndeterminantsandcopingstrategies AT shadracharinzeokolo intimatepartnerviolenceamongpregnantwomeninanambrastatenigeriaprevalencepatterndeterminantsandcopingstrategies AT chinonujufranklinchiekezie intimatepartnerviolenceamongpregnantwomeninanambrastatenigeriaprevalencepatterndeterminantsandcopingstrategies AT chidinduprinceanagwu intimatepartnerviolenceamongpregnantwomeninanambrastatenigeriaprevalencepatterndeterminantsandcopingstrategies AT michaelchukwuebukaawugosi intimatepartnerviolenceamongpregnantwomeninanambrastatenigeriaprevalencepatterndeterminantsandcopingstrategies |