Intimate partner violence, women’s socio-economic position and contraceptive use in Nigeria

Sunday A. Adedini, Obafemi Awolowo University and University of the Witwatersrand
Omolayo Oluwatope, Obafemi Awolowo University
Joshua O. Akinyemi, University of Ibadan and University of the Witwatersrand
Clifford O. Odimegwu, University of the Witwatersrand

Public health literature established that women in abusive relationship are likely to be low contraceptive users. Also, evidence suggests that high socio-economic status could serve as security and a safety net against gender-based violence. On this premise, we hypothesized that women’s high socio-economic position will exert a moderating effect on the relationship between intimate partner violence and contraceptive use. This hypothesis was tested using data from 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Associations were examined by conducting binary logistic regression analysis on a weighted sample of 19,925 currently married women/women living with partners who were selected for domestic violence module. As hypothesized, results showed that women with high socio-economic status had increased uptake of contraception, notwithstanding their experience of violence. This study thus underscores the need for increased efforts aimed at improving women’s status, because of its potential benefits for increased uptake of contraception, particularly among women in abusive relationship.