Intimate partner violence perpetration and sexual risk behaviour: Identifying shared determinants among young men in Tanzania

ABSTRACT

In this study we examined factors that predict involvement in different patterns of sexual risk behavior and IPV perpetration among young men in Tanzania (n = 979), with a focus on identifying factors that distinguish men who engage in both behaviours from those who do not. Risk factors were drawn from three domains thought to be upstream drivers of both IPV and sexual risk: poverty, adverse childhood experiences, and inequitable gender norms. A three-step latent class analysis was used to assess whether and how factors from each domain distinguished subgroups of men whose behaviour patterns were characterised as comorbid (involvement in IPV and sexual risk behaviour), IPV-only, sexual risk only, and normative (low risk). Consistent with expectations, greater food insecurity, adverse childhood experiences, and inequitable gender norms related to violence and sexual behaviour predicted increased risk of membership in the comorbid group compared to other sub-groups. Findings support the promise of integrated prevention programmes targeting the common causes of IPV perpetration and sexual risk behaviour.

KEYWORDS:

• Intimate partner violence
• sexual risk behaviour
• latent class analysis

Acknowledgements

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Development of the National Institutes of Health under award number R03-MH121200-01. The parent study that collected the data used in the current study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health under award number R01HD050134. Views expressed are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of sponsoring agencies.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Institute of Mental Health: [Grant Number R03-MH121200-01].