Search

Background: Despite global, regional, and national efforts to address intimate partner violence (IPV), physical IPV persists as a significant challenge in Kenya. This study employs geospatial analysis to examine the spatial distribution and determinants of physical intimate partner violence among women, aiming to inform targeted interventions and policies., Methods: The study used a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study design based on the 2022 Kenya demographic and health survey. Analyses were conducted using Stata version 17.0 and ArcMap version 10.8. Spatial autocorrelation and hotspot assessment were conducted in the geospatial analysis, while a multilevel logistic regression model was used to examine determinants of physical violence among reproductive-aged women., Results: The study found 28.8% (10,477) of the surveyed women reported experiencing physical intimate partner violence. The spatial analysis identified significant clusters in the southwest and central regions, with women in sub-counties like Chepaluugu, Konion, Sotik, Bumula, and Metayos among others experiencing more violence. Conversely, women in areas in the North East and South East corners such as Kisauni, Tarabaj, Waijir North, Lafey, and Mandera North and South among others showed little or no physical intimate partner violence. Multivariable logistic regression identified age, education, wealth index, partner domineering indicators, and justification of wife beating to be associated with physical intimate partner violence. Higher education and wealth were associated with lower violence odds, while partner domineering indicators and justification of wife beating increased odds., Conclusion: Spatial variations in intimate partner violence risk for women in Kenya underscore the need for targeted government interventions. Focusing on hotspot regions, especially among women with the poorest wealth index, no formal education, and older age, is crucial. Implementing behavior change campaigns addressing violence justification and partner dominance is vital. Active involvement of male partners in programs aiming to eliminate intimate partner violence is essential for comprehensive impact., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Okyere et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue, predominantly among women in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana. Existing evidence indicates high rates of IPV perpetration and its associated adverse health outcomes. Despite previous studies, reliance on old data underscores the need for current, nationally representative data to inform policy-making and interventions. Therefore, this study utilizes the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) to examine IPV experiences and associated factors, aiming to provide updated insights for effective IPV mitigation strategies in Ghana., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of a weighted sample of 3,741 women between the ages of 15-49 years old from the 2022 GDHS. Binary logistic regression analysis was used in predicting the outcome., Results: The study found that 36.4 percent of women in Ghana had experienced some form of IPV, primarily emotional violence (31.5%), physical violence (17.3%), and sexual violence (7.6%). Women with higher levels of education had a significantly reduced risk of 60% of experiencing some form of IPV than those with no formal education. Partner domineering behaviours, such as women whose partners often get jealous for seeing them talk with other men [adjusted OR:1.76, 95%CI:1.25,2.48], accusing them of unfaithfulness [adjusted OR:2.59, 95%CI:1.03,2.46], not permitting them to meet female friends [adjusted OR:1.1.59, 95%CI:1.03,2.46], and limiting their contact with family [adjusted OR:5.75, 95%CI:2.27,13.42], were more likely to experience at least one form of IPV. Similarly, women who justified or endorsed wife beating had a higher likelihood [aOR = 1.57, 95%CI = 1.22,2.02] of experiencing at least one form of IPV than those who did not endorse such behaviour., Conclusion: Identifying educational attainment, partner dominance, and violence endorsement as IPV predictors underscore targeted interventions. Promoting women's education bolsters empowerment and IPV prevention. Addressing dominance through education, counselling, and legal frameworks is crucial for fostering safer relationships and challenging violence normalization., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Dickson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: In 2021, Madagascar had approximately 13,919 people living with diabetes, with 66.1% of cases being undiagnosed. The implication is that this population are at high risk of developing diabetes complications which will affect their quality of life. However, promoting the uptake of screening practices such as the blood glucose test among the asymptomatic population would offer a chance to reduce the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes in the country. This study examined the association between place of residence and blood sugar testing practices among men in Madagascar., Methods: Secondary data from the men recode file of the 2021 Madagascar Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) was used. A sample of 9,035 were used for the analysis. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed in STATA version 14. The results are presented in adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval., Results: Only 5.83% reported to have ever had their blood glucose/sugar tested by a health professional. Residing in rural areas was associated in lower likelihood of undergoing a test to check one's blood sugar level [AOR = 0.23; 95%CI = 0.19-0.28] compared to those in urban areas. This association remained consistent even after adjusting for the effects of covariates [AOR = 0.67; 95%CI = 0.52-0.86]., Conclusion: We conclude that place of residence plays a significant role in influencing men's decision to test their blood glucose level. It is, therefore, imperative for the Madagascar Public Health Department to liaise with the government to bridge the rural-urban disparities in terms of accessibility to blood glucose testing services. Practically, this can be achieved by instituting community-based health services centers in the rural areas of Madagascar to mitigate the rural-urban disparities. Also, health education campaigns to raise men's awareness about the need to test their blood glucose level must necessarily target older men, those without formal education, those without health insurance, and men who have been diagnosed with hypertension., (© 2024. The Author(s).)