Intimate Partners Violence against Women during a Covid-19 Lockdown Period

Results of an Online Survey in 7 Provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15480234
AutoresJohn Ditekemena (0000-0002-3022-4879, University of Kinshasa, autor de correspondencia), John D Ditekemena (Kinshasa School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa 834, Congo), Christophe Luhata (0009-0003-3249-2644, University of Kinshasa), Hypolite Muhindo Mavoko (0000-0002-3307-3324, University of Kinshasa), Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo (0000-0003-3544-1239, University of Antwerp), Dalau Mukadi Nkamba (0000-0002-5379-0507, University of Kinshasa), Willemien Van Damme (0000-0002-6344-3007, Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde), Shahul H Ebrahim (0000-0002-0746-2326, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako), Christiana Nöstlinger (0000-0001-9031-8503, Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde), Robert Colebunders (0000-0002-1919-1340, University of Antwerp)
Año2021
Volumen18
Número10
Páginas5108-5108
Fecha de publicación2021-05-12
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
EditorialMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph18105108
PMID34065852
OpenAlexW3163603311
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas40

Intimate Partners' Violence (IPV) is a public health problem with long-lasting mental and physical health consequences for victims and their families. As evidence has been increasing that COVID-19 lockdown measures may exacerbate IPV, our study sought to describe the magnitude of IPV in women and identify associated determinants. An online survey was conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 24 August to 8 September 2020. Of the 4160 respondents, 2002 eligible women were included in the data analysis. Their mean age was 36.3 (SD: 8.2). Most women (65.8%) were younger than 40 years old. Prevalence of any form of IPV was 11.7%. Being in the 30-39 and >50 years' age groups (OR = 0.66, CI: 0.46-0.95; p = 0.026 and OR = 0.23, CI: 0.11-048; p p = 0.047), and belonging to the middle socioeconomic class (OR = 0.48, CI: 0.29-0.79; p = 0.003) significantly decreased the odds for experiencing IPV. Lower socioeconomic status (OR = 1.84, CI: 1.04-3.24; p = 0.035) and being pregnant (OR = 1.63, CI: 1.16-2.29; p = 0.005) or uncertain of pregnancy status (OR = 2.01, CI: 1.17-3.44; p = 0.011) significantly increased the odds for reporting IPV. Additional qualitative research is needed to identify the underlying reasons and mechanisms of IPV in order to develop and implement prevention interventions

Domestic violence · Environmental health · Injury prevention · Logistic regression · Odds · Odds ratio · Poison control · Population · Pregnancy · Public health · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Demography · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Sex work and related issues · Internal Medicine