A scoping review of interventions to address intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan African healthcare

ABSTRACT

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread global health problem, with negative effects on women’s health and HIV transmission and treatment. There is little evidence on how to address IPV effectively in lower-resourced healthcare settings, particularly those that are impacted by significant HIV epidemics. We conducted a scoping review to provide an overview of the literature on IPV screening and intervention programmes in sub-Saharan African healthcare. The included studies used mainly qualitative methods. We identified five main themes: the acceptability to female clients, the importance of confidentiality, provider concerns, barriers due to gender norms, and need for referrals and comprehensive services. Research in this field is limited, and a robust research agenda is needed to provide effective IPV interventions for women seeking healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa.

KEYWORDS:

• Intimate partner violence; sub-Saharan Africa; healthcare interventions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Cynthia R. Young http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3620-7786

Additional information

Funding

This publication was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) [grant number T32 AI007433]; and by the Global Women’s Health Fellowship of the Connor’s Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.