Factors associated with intimate partner violence against women in a mega city of South-Asia: multi-centre cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVES. To assess the proportion of women subjected to intimate partner violence and the associated factors, and to identify the attitudes of women towards the use of violence by their husbands. DESIGN. Cross-sectional study. SETTING. Family practice clinics at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. PARTICIPANTS. A total of 520 women aged between 16 and 60 years were consecutively approached to participate in the study and interviewed by trained data collectors. Overall, 401 completed questionnaires were available for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association of various factors of interest. RESULTS. In all, 35% of the women reported being physically abused by their husbands in the last 12 months. Multivariate analysis showed that experiences of violence were independently associated with women's illiteracy (adjusted odds ratio=5.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-19.6), husband's illiteracy (3.9; 1.4-10.7), smoking habit of husbands (3.3; 1.9-5.8), and substance use (3.1; 1.7-5.7). CONCLUSION. It is imperative that intimate partner violence be considered a major public health concern. It can be prevented through comprehensive, multifaceted, and integrated approaches. The role of education is greatly emphasised in changing the perspectives of individuals and societies against intimate partner violence.
Department of Family Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
Niloufer S
NS
Ali
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Ohio 44106, United States.
Farzana N
FN
Ali
Departments of Family Medicine/Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
Ali K
AK
Khuwaja
Department of Family Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
Kashmira
K
Nanji
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Domestic violence; Pakistan