Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Spousal violence against women and its association with sociodemographic factors and husbands’ controlling behaviour : the findings of Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (2015–2016)

Tun, Tayzar and Ostergren, Per Olof LU (2020) In Global Health Action 13(1).
Abstract

Background: Spousal violence is the most common domestic violence against women and a growing public health problem globally. As a behaviour, marital control is commonly accepted as a precursor to spousal violence. Objective: This study examines the prevalence of different types of spousal violence among women in Myanmar and their association with sociodemographic factors and husbands’ controlling behaviour. Methods: This study used data from the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) 2015–2016. Based on the responses of 3,425 ever-married women, cross-tabulations (Chi-squared test) and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to examine the association between controlling behaviour by husbands and lifetime physical, sexual... (More)

Background: Spousal violence is the most common domestic violence against women and a growing public health problem globally. As a behaviour, marital control is commonly accepted as a precursor to spousal violence. Objective: This study examines the prevalence of different types of spousal violence among women in Myanmar and their association with sociodemographic factors and husbands’ controlling behaviour. Methods: This study used data from the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) 2015–2016. Based on the responses of 3,425 ever-married women, cross-tabulations (Chi-squared test) and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to examine the association between controlling behaviour by husbands and lifetime physical, sexual and emotional spousal violence against Myanmar women. Synergy factor and population attributable fraction were estimated to recommend preventive strategies. Results: The prevalence of lifetime physical violence was 16.8%, of sexual violence 3.8%, of emotional violence 15.9%, and of husband’s controlling behaviour 30.2%. Women who were exposed to controlling behaviour by their husbands reported higher likelihoods of lifetime physical spousal violence (OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 3.0–4.7), lifetime sexual spousal violence (OR = 5.3; 95% CI: 3.3–8.6), and lifetime emotional spousal violence (OR = 5.6; 95% CI: 4.4–7.2). Controlling behaviour by husbands was attributed to 22.0% of lifetime physical spousal violence; and to 24.5% of lifetime sexual spousal violence and to 24.8% of lifetime emotional spousal violence in this sample of Myanmar women. Additional associated factors of spousal violence were poor wealth status, women’s wife-beating justification, exposure to parental violence, and alcohol abuse among husbands. Conclusion: Controlling behaviour by husbands was significantly associated with higher likelihoods of lifetime spousal violence among ever-married Myanmar women in this study. These findings reflect an obvious need for policy development and preventive strategies against marital controlling behaviour in Myanmar.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Demographic Health Survey (DHS), Intimate partner violence (IPV), marital control, Myanmar-couples, policy recommendations
in
Global Health Action
volume
13
issue
1
article number
1844975
publisher
Co-Action Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:85096330396
  • pmid:33215577
ISSN
1654-9716
DOI
10.1080/16549716.2020.1844975
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4b01a1aa-ee15-442d-bcb0-8f8922ae08fd
date added to LUP
2020-11-30 09:47:51
date last changed
2024-07-11 03:05:11
@article{4b01a1aa-ee15-442d-bcb0-8f8922ae08fd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Spousal violence is the most common domestic violence against women and a growing public health problem globally. As a behaviour, marital control is commonly accepted as a precursor to spousal violence. Objective: This study examines the prevalence of different types of spousal violence among women in Myanmar and their association with sociodemographic factors and husbands’ controlling behaviour. Methods: This study used data from the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) 2015–2016. Based on the responses of 3,425 ever-married women, cross-tabulations (Chi-squared test) and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to examine the association between controlling behaviour by husbands and lifetime physical, sexual and emotional spousal violence against Myanmar women. Synergy factor and population attributable fraction were estimated to recommend preventive strategies. Results: The prevalence of lifetime physical violence was 16.8%, of sexual violence 3.8%, of emotional violence 15.9%, and of husband’s controlling behaviour 30.2%. Women who were exposed to controlling behaviour by their husbands reported higher likelihoods of lifetime physical spousal violence (OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 3.0–4.7), lifetime sexual spousal violence (OR = 5.3; 95% CI: 3.3–8.6), and lifetime emotional spousal violence (OR = 5.6; 95% CI: 4.4–7.2). Controlling behaviour by husbands was attributed to 22.0% of lifetime physical spousal violence; and to 24.5% of lifetime sexual spousal violence and to 24.8% of lifetime emotional spousal violence in this sample of Myanmar women. Additional associated factors of spousal violence were poor wealth status, women’s wife-beating justification, exposure to parental violence, and alcohol abuse among husbands. Conclusion: Controlling behaviour by husbands was significantly associated with higher likelihoods of lifetime spousal violence among ever-married Myanmar women in this study. These findings reflect an obvious need for policy development and preventive strategies against marital controlling behaviour in Myanmar.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tun, Tayzar and Ostergren, Per Olof}},
  issn         = {{1654-9716}},
  keywords     = {{Demographic Health Survey (DHS); Intimate partner violence (IPV); marital control; Myanmar-couples; policy recommendations}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Co-Action Publishing}},
  series       = {{Global Health Action}},
  title        = {{Spousal violence against women and its association with sociodemographic factors and husbands’ controlling behaviour : the findings of Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (2015–2016)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2020.1844975}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/16549716.2020.1844975}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}