Spatial variations and drivers of intimate partner violence against adolescent mothers in rural sub-Saharan-Africa

Justin Dansou, Université de Parakou
Alphonse Affo, Centre de Formation et de Recherche en matière de Population (CEFORP)
Pacôme Acotchéou, Institut Régional de Santé Publique (IRSP)
Jacques Saizonou, Institut régional de Santé Publique, Université d'Abomey-Calavi (IRSP/UAC)

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence especially among vulnerable groups is a public health concern and increasingly gaining global attention. This study attempts to assess spatial variations and to identify individual and community/contextual levels drivers of intimate partner violence perpetration against adolescents and young mothers in rural sub-Saharan-Africa. METHODS: Data were drawn from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey conducted between 2011 and 2023 in twenty-nine countries in SSA. A total of 439,742 reproductive age women were investigated during the most recent DHS. The analytical sample consists of 20,673 adolescent and young mothers (at least one ever born children) aged 15-24, living in rural area and selected and interviewed for the domestic violence module. Analyses will be conducted at three levels: univariate (frequencies), bivariate (cross table and/or Pearson Chisquare test) multivariate (multilevel models). PRELIMINARY_FINDFINDS: The prevalence of domestic violence among adolescent mothers was 25% at global level (SSA) with large disparities across countries (as low as 5.9% in Senegal and the highest prevalence at 49.9% in Sierra Leone). Individual level (higher educational level, mass media, marital status, number of children ever born) and community level (community female education, community mass media exposure, sub-region and language) had significant effect on DV perpetration.

Keywords: Gender Dynamics, Children, Adolescents, and Youth

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