Associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-Leste
Abstract Background Reducing violence against women is a global public health priority, particularly in low-income and conflict-affected societies. However, more needs to be known about the causes of intimate partner violence (IPV) in these settings, including the stress of bride price obligations....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2017-08-01
|
| Series: | Globalization and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12992-017-0291-z |
| _version_ | 1828484951826235392 |
|---|---|
| author | Susan Rees Mohammed Mohsin Alvin Kuowei Tay Elisa Soares Natalino Tam Zelia da Costa Wietse Tol Derrick Silove |
| author_facet | Susan Rees Mohammed Mohsin Alvin Kuowei Tay Elisa Soares Natalino Tam Zelia da Costa Wietse Tol Derrick Silove |
| author_sort | Susan Rees |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Reducing violence against women is a global public health priority, particularly in low-income and conflict-affected societies. However, more needs to be known about the causes of intimate partner violence (IPV) in these settings, including the stress of bride price obligations. Methods The representative study of women attending ante-natal clinics in Dili, Timor-Leste was conducted between June, 2013 and September, 2014 with 1672 pregnant women, a response rate of 96%. We applied contextually developed measures for the stress of bride price and poverty, and the World Health Organisation measure for intimate partner violence. Results Compared to those with no problems with bride price, women with moderate or serious problems with that custom reported higher rates of IPV (18.0% vs. 43.6%). Adjusting for socio-demographic factors, multivariate analysis revealed that ongoing poverty (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.20–2.56) was significantly associated with IPV. Importantly, the strongest association with IPV was problems with bride price (OR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.86–4.01). Conclusions This is the first large consecutively sampled study to demonstrate a strong association between the stressors of bride price and poverty with IPV. Notably, bride price stress had the strongest association with IPV. Revealing this hitherto unrecognized factor of bride price stress may prove pivotal in guiding policy and interventions aimed at reducing IPV, and thereby improve the health and psychosocial status of women in low income and conflict-affected settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:05:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-adb58e2860c541be80a121ba002f4b06 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1744-8603 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:05:42Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Globalization and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-adb58e2860c541be80a121ba002f4b062022-12-22T01:13:39ZengBMCGlobalization and Health1744-86032017-08-0113111010.1186/s12992-017-0291-zAssociations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-LesteSusan Rees0Mohammed Mohsin1Alvin Kuowei Tay2Elisa Soares3Natalino Tam4Zelia da Costa5Wietse Tol6Derrick Silove7Psychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South WalesPsychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South WalesPsychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South WalesPsychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South WalesPsychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South WalesPsychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South WalesJohns Hopkins UniversityPsychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South WalesAbstract Background Reducing violence against women is a global public health priority, particularly in low-income and conflict-affected societies. However, more needs to be known about the causes of intimate partner violence (IPV) in these settings, including the stress of bride price obligations. Methods The representative study of women attending ante-natal clinics in Dili, Timor-Leste was conducted between June, 2013 and September, 2014 with 1672 pregnant women, a response rate of 96%. We applied contextually developed measures for the stress of bride price and poverty, and the World Health Organisation measure for intimate partner violence. Results Compared to those with no problems with bride price, women with moderate or serious problems with that custom reported higher rates of IPV (18.0% vs. 43.6%). Adjusting for socio-demographic factors, multivariate analysis revealed that ongoing poverty (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.20–2.56) was significantly associated with IPV. Importantly, the strongest association with IPV was problems with bride price (OR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.86–4.01). Conclusions This is the first large consecutively sampled study to demonstrate a strong association between the stressors of bride price and poverty with IPV. Notably, bride price stress had the strongest association with IPV. Revealing this hitherto unrecognized factor of bride price stress may prove pivotal in guiding policy and interventions aimed at reducing IPV, and thereby improve the health and psychosocial status of women in low income and conflict-affected settings.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12992-017-0291-zStressBride pricePovertyIntimate partner violence |
| spellingShingle | Susan Rees Mohammed Mohsin Alvin Kuowei Tay Elisa Soares Natalino Tam Zelia da Costa Wietse Tol Derrick Silove Associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-Leste Globalization and Health Stress Bride price Poverty Intimate partner violence |
| title | Associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-Leste |
| title_full | Associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-Leste |
| title_fullStr | Associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-Leste |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-Leste |
| title_short | Associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in Timor-Leste |
| title_sort | associations between bride price stress and intimate partner violence amongst pregnant women in timor leste |
| topic | Stress Bride price Poverty Intimate partner violence |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12992-017-0291-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT susanrees associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste AT mohammedmohsin associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste AT alvinkuoweitay associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste AT elisasoares associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste AT natalinotam associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste AT zeliadacosta associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste AT wietsetol associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste AT derricksilove associationsbetweenbridepricestressandintimatepartnerviolenceamongstpregnantwomenintimorleste |