Prevalence of intimate partner violence during pregnancy in Ghana and its associated factors: A cross-sectional study
1
School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
2
Department of Environment and Public Health, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya, Ghana
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2252
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognised as one of the intricate and significant public health problems. Among vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, it is associated with direct and indirect consequences such as morbidities, injuries, and mortalities. Although the burden of IPV and its effects is increasingly recognised, there is an urgent need for granular, localised estimates to better understand the exact extent of the burden. This study examines IPV during pregnancy and its associated factors in the Bono Region of Ghana.
METHODS:
This was a facility-based cross-sectional study conducted in the Bono Region of Ghana. A sample of 527 postpartum women (within six months after delivery) was recruited using a multistage sampling technique. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Percentages with confidence intervals were used to present the prevalence of IPV. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to examine the factors associated with IPV. Stata 18.0 was used for the data analysis.
RESULTS:
Of the 527 postpartum women, the age range was 18-44 years, with a mean age of 29.8±5.8. The prevalence of physical, sexual, emotional, economic violence, and coercive control was (32.4% [28.6-36.6]), (32.4% [28.6-36.6]), (47.4% [43.1-51.8]), (31.3% [27.5-35.4]), and (61.1% [56.9-65.2]), respectively. Sociodemographic characteristics of the respondent and the partner, as well as relational factors, were associated with IPV during pregnancy in the Bono Region of Ghana.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our study has shown that IPV during pregnancy is highly prevalent in the Bono Region. The findings call for a holistic strategy and measures to prevent the occurrence of IPV during pregnancy to avert its associated negative repercussions. Our findings call for routine assessment of IPV during pregnancy as part of antenatal care activities to identify pregnant women experiencing IPV and offer interventions to prevent further perpetration and referral pathways for additional support and services.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognised as one of the intricate and significant public health problems. Among vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, it is associated with direct and indirect consequences such as morbidities, injuries, and mortalities. Although the burden of IPV and its effects is increasingly recognised, there is an urgent need for granular, localised estimates to better understand the exact extent of the burden. This study examines IPV during pregnancy and its associated factors in the Bono Region of Ghana.
METHODS:
This was a facility-based cross-sectional study conducted in the Bono Region of Ghana. A sample of 527 postpartum women (within six months after delivery) was recruited using a multistage sampling technique. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Percentages with confidence intervals were used to present the prevalence of IPV. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to examine the factors associated with IPV. Stata 18.0 was used for the data analysis.
RESULTS:
Of the 527 postpartum women, the age range was 18-44 years, with a mean age of 29.8±5.8. The prevalence of physical, sexual, emotional, economic violence, and coercive control was (32.4% [28.6-36.6]), (32.4% [28.6-36.6]), (47.4% [43.1-51.8]), (31.3% [27.5-35.4]), and (61.1% [56.9-65.2]), respectively. Sociodemographic characteristics of the respondent and the partner, as well as relational factors, were associated with IPV during pregnancy in the Bono Region of Ghana.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our study has shown that IPV during pregnancy is highly prevalent in the Bono Region. The findings call for a holistic strategy and measures to prevent the occurrence of IPV during pregnancy to avert its associated negative repercussions. Our findings call for routine assessment of IPV during pregnancy as part of antenatal care activities to identify pregnant women experiencing IPV and offer interventions to prevent further perpetration and referral pathways for additional support and services.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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