Couple’s concordance or discordance of khat use and intimate partner violence (IPV) among Ethiopian women

ABSTRACT

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between spousal discordance or concordance khat use and women’s experience of emotional abuse, physical, and sexual violence.

Methods

A cross-sectional data from Ethiopia’s Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS-2016 that included couple’s data (n=2734) was used.

Results

Overall, 21.2%, 95% CI (18.3, 24.4) were discordant khat users (either couple use) and 11.8%, 95% CI (8.9, 15.5) were concordant khat users (both). Among married/partnered women, 22.5%, 95% CI (19.8, 25.3), 22.3%, 95% CI (19.8, 24.9) and 9.6%, 95% CI (7.9, 11.7) reported to have ever experienced emotional abuse, physical abuse, or sexual abuse, respectively. Concordant couple’s khat use was significantly (OR=2.67, 95% CI (1.55, 4.61) associated with self-reported experience of physical violence by women.

Conclusion

In the context of widespread use of khat in Ethiopia, couples’ khat use may have a potential to be a risk factor for intimate partner violence. Efforts to reduce intimate partner violence in Ethiopia may benefit from incorporating strategies for reducing khat use and addiction.

KEYWORDS:

• Africa
• Ethiopia
• women
• intimate partner violence
• khat use

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Program and ICF International for providing access to their database.

Availability of data and material

Data is owned by Demographic and Health Survey. https://dhsprogram.com/data/

Ethical approval

Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained by Demographic and Health Survey Team.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

No funding was provided.