Citation

Owoaje ET, Olaolorun FM. Int. Q. Community Health Educ. 2006; 25(4): 337-349.

Affiliation

Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. emeowoaje@yahoo.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.2190/Q6M3-0270-1284-86KU

PMID

17686706

Abstract

This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted to determine attitudes to and the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women of reproductive age in a migrant community in southwest Nigeria. All consenting females aged 15-49 years in the area sampled were interviewed. A structured questionnaire administered in the local language was used to obtain information on attitudes toward IPV in seven hypothetical situations as well as their exposure to IPV. Eighty-seven percent of women had ever experienced IPV, while 20% experienced IPV in the preceding 12 months. Regarding attitudes to IPV, 79.5% of women believed that wife beating was justified in at least one of seven situations. Respondents who were not living with a male partner were more likely than their counterparts who were married/cohabiting to accept IPV (p = 0.03). There is a need for a cultural reorientation through appropriate health education interventions.

Language: en