Prevalence and factors associated with intimate partner violence after HIV status disclosure among pregnant women with depression in Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Intimate partner violence (IPV) exacts a heavy burden on women, resulting in poor health outcomes. This study had the following aims: (1) estimate the prevalence of IPV post-disclosure of HIV status among pregnant women living with HIV and depression; and (2) evaluate risk and protective factors for IPV post-disclosure. Participants were women accessing PMTCT services at 16 health facilities in Dar es Salaam and screened at the threshold of 9 on the PHQ-9. Generalized linear equations with a log link and standard errors clustered at the facility level were used to calculate associations between predictors and IPV post-disclosure. Among 659 women who were in an intimate relationship, 10.2% had experienced physical violence and 11.6% had reported sexual violence from their partner in the past six months; 327 had disclosed their HIV status to their partners. After disclosure to their partners 279 women (85.3%) experienced IPV. HIV-related stigma was associated with increased risk of IPV following disclosure and appreciative relationships with partners and higher hope were associated with reduced risk of IPV. There is a need to identify and advance approaches to HIV disclosure that prevent IPV. Interventions should be developed based on known risk and protective factors for IPV following HIV disclosure in Tanzania and similar settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Intimate partner violence
• HIV
• disclosure
• PMTCT
• depression
• Tanzania

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the study participants and to staff related to this study as well as at the reproductive and child health centers that made this study possible. This research study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH100338).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data are available based upon request.

Additional information

Funding

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the study participants and to staff related to this study as well as at the reproductive and child health centers that made this study possible. This research study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health [grant number R01-MH100338].