Intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy has negative physical and psychological health consequences on the pregnant women. As such, women who experience IPV during pregnancy are likely to have challenges accessing maternal healthcare services. In this study, we examined...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Archives of Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-022-00853-y |
| _version_ | 1818476363009490944 |
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| author | Richard Gyan Aboagye Abdul-Aziz Seidu Bernard Yeboah-Asiamah Asare Collins Adu Bright Opoku Ahinkorah |
| author_facet | Richard Gyan Aboagye Abdul-Aziz Seidu Bernard Yeboah-Asiamah Asare Collins Adu Bright Opoku Ahinkorah |
| author_sort | Richard Gyan Aboagye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy has negative physical and psychological health consequences on the pregnant women. As such, women who experience IPV during pregnancy are likely to have challenges accessing maternal healthcare services. In this study, we examined the influence of exposure to IPV on timely antenatal care (ANC) visits in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey of twenty-two countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2012 and 2020 were analysed. Data were obtained from 61,282 women with birth history in the five years prior to the survey. A multilevel logistic regression was used to determine the association between IPV and timely ANC visits while controlling for significant covariates. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were used to present results from the multilevel logistic regression analysis. Results The prevalence of timely ANC visit and IPV were 38.1% and 34.9% respectively. The highest and lowest prevalence of IPV were found in Sierra Leone (52.9%) and Comoros (8.1%), respectively. Timely ANC attendance among pregnant women was more prevalent in Liberia (74.9%) and lowest in DR Congo (19.0%). Women who experienced IPV during pregnancy were less likely to utilize timely ANC (aOR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.86–0.92) compared to those who did not experience IPV. In terms of the covariates, the odds of timely ANC were higher among women aged 40–44 compared to those aged 15–19 (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.21–1.51). Higher odds of timely ANC was found among women who were cohabiting (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.10–1.20), those from the richest wealth quintile (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.28–1.48), those exposed to watching television (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.18–1.30), and those with health insurance (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.37–1.56). Conclusion Findings from the study indicate the role of IPV in timely ANC visit in sub-Saharan Africa. To enhance timely ANC visits, there is the need for policy makers to strengthen and enforce the implementation of policies that alleviate IPV during pregnancy. Education and sensitization of married and cohabiting women and men on the negative effects of IPV on timely ANC should be done using media sources such as television. Inequalities in timely ANC can be eliminated through the provision and strengthening of existing maternal health policies such as health insurance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T09:24:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35756de04e4949f287ce6c6329fbeda3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-3258 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T09:24:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-35756de04e4949f287ce6c6329fbeda32022-12-22T01:54:34ZengBMCArchives of Public Health2049-32582022-04-0180111110.1186/s13690-022-00853-yIntimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan AfricaRichard Gyan Aboagye0Abdul-Aziz Seidu1Bernard Yeboah-Asiamah Asare2Collins Adu3Bright Opoku Ahinkorah4Department of Family and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied SciencesCentre for Gender and Advocacy, Takoradi Technical UniversityCurtin School of Population Health, Curtin UniversityDepartment of Health Promotion, Education and Disability Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologySchool of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology SydneyAbstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy has negative physical and psychological health consequences on the pregnant women. As such, women who experience IPV during pregnancy are likely to have challenges accessing maternal healthcare services. In this study, we examined the influence of exposure to IPV on timely antenatal care (ANC) visits in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey of twenty-two countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2012 and 2020 were analysed. Data were obtained from 61,282 women with birth history in the five years prior to the survey. A multilevel logistic regression was used to determine the association between IPV and timely ANC visits while controlling for significant covariates. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were used to present results from the multilevel logistic regression analysis. Results The prevalence of timely ANC visit and IPV were 38.1% and 34.9% respectively. The highest and lowest prevalence of IPV were found in Sierra Leone (52.9%) and Comoros (8.1%), respectively. Timely ANC attendance among pregnant women was more prevalent in Liberia (74.9%) and lowest in DR Congo (19.0%). Women who experienced IPV during pregnancy were less likely to utilize timely ANC (aOR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.86–0.92) compared to those who did not experience IPV. In terms of the covariates, the odds of timely ANC were higher among women aged 40–44 compared to those aged 15–19 (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.21–1.51). Higher odds of timely ANC was found among women who were cohabiting (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.10–1.20), those from the richest wealth quintile (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.28–1.48), those exposed to watching television (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.18–1.30), and those with health insurance (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.37–1.56). Conclusion Findings from the study indicate the role of IPV in timely ANC visit in sub-Saharan Africa. To enhance timely ANC visits, there is the need for policy makers to strengthen and enforce the implementation of policies that alleviate IPV during pregnancy. Education and sensitization of married and cohabiting women and men on the negative effects of IPV on timely ANC should be done using media sources such as television. Inequalities in timely ANC can be eliminated through the provision and strengthening of existing maternal health policies such as health insurance.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-022-00853-yIntimate partner violenceTimely antenatal care visitsPregnant womenSub-Saharan Africa |
| spellingShingle | Richard Gyan Aboagye Abdul-Aziz Seidu Bernard Yeboah-Asiamah Asare Collins Adu Bright Opoku Ahinkorah Intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan Africa Archives of Public Health Intimate partner violence Timely antenatal care visits Pregnant women Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title | Intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | Intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | Intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | Intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | intimate partner violence and timely antenatal care visits in sub saharan africa |
| topic | Intimate partner violence Timely antenatal care visits Pregnant women Sub-Saharan Africa |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-022-00853-y |
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