Prevalence and Risks factors of the different forms of Domestic Violence Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in the Buea Health District of Cameroon

BackgroundDomestic violence during pregnancy is a global public health problem which is linked with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Despite its significant impact on maternal and child health, the issue remains underexplored and underreported in Cameroon. This study therefore aimed at assess the various forms of domestic violence, their prevalences and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care services in public and private hospitals in the Buea Health District of Cameroon. Materials and MethodsThis was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted between the months of April to June 2021. A consecutive sampling technique was used to select the participants and a, WHO instrument on domestic violence in low-income countries was used to assess violence against pregnant women. Data collected was cleaned and analysed using SPSS version 26.0. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the dependent variable (domestic violence) and independent variables at a 95% confidence interval (CI) for types of domestic violence while adjusting for confounding factors. ResultsOf the 346 pregnant women who participated in this study, 303 (87.57%) were identified as experiencing at least one form of domestic violence. The most common form of domestic violence was psychological aggression (82.7%), followed by controlling behavior (78.0%), then physical (42.2%), economic deprivation (42.2%) and sexual (34.4%) violence. Women with monthly income below 50,000 XAF (AOR=4.31, 95% CI 1.23-15.08; p=0.022), and consuming alcohol (AOR=6.00, 95% CI 2.41-14.93; p<0.001) were more likely to experience psychological violence. Physical violence was associated with women with less than tertiary education (AOR=8.26, 95% CI 2.84-24.00; p=0.001) and having partners who gamble (AOR=8.11, 95% CI 3.34-19.69; p=0.001). Controlling behavior, was associated with partners who consumed alcohol (AOR 4.31; 95% CI 1.94-9.60; p=0.001) and to women with a monthly income below 25,000 XAF (AOR=3.53, 95% CI 1.26-9.89; p=0.016). Partners chosen by family (AOR=5.62, 95% CI 1.58-19.95; p=0.008), being housewives (AOR=9.55, 95% CI 2.36-38.57; p=0.002) and partners who smoked (AOR=3.22, 95% CI 1.32-7.84; p=0.010) were significantly associated to economic deprivation. Women who choose their partners (AOR=0.09, 95% CI 0.02-0.52; p=0.007) were less likely to experience sexual violence. ConclusionMore than three quarters of the pregnant women in the study experience at least one type of domestic violence. This high proportion highlights the need for policy to address the problem of violence against pregnant women.