Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health issue
that is associated with adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes including
sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STIs have recently gained more
recognition worldwide because they increase the risk for HIV infection. However,
there is dearth of information on the association between IPV and STIs
particularly among married women in Nigeria.
Objective: To determine the association between IPV and STIs among married
women in Nigeria.
Method: This was a secondary data analysis of the 2008 Nigeria Demographic
and Health Survey (NDHS) dataset. A total of 18,402 married women aged between
15 and 49 years were included. Questions about intimate partner violence were
adapted from the Conflict Tactic Scale (CTS). Multiple logistic regression
models were used to determine relationship between IPV and self-reported STIs.
Results: The prevalence of IPV among married women in Nigeria was 29.3%.
Majority of the women experienced emotional violence (22.1%), 17.3% of the
women experienced physical violence while the least experienced form of
violence was sexual IPV (4.4%). Majority (60.1%) of the women experienced
just one type of IPV, 30.0% two types, 9.9% all three types. The prevalence of selfreported
sexually transmitted infections was 7.2%. Logistic regression
demonstrated that after controlling for other covariates, women who experienced
any form of IPV were found to be more likely to report STI than women who did
not [OR 1.357 (95% CI 1.188-1.551)]. In addition, experience of physical and
sexual IPV was significantly associated with history of STIs [OR 1.699 (95% CI
1.420-2.034); OR 1.414 (95% CI 1.085-1.843) respectively]. Experiencing two or
more types of IPV was significantly associated with history of STIs [OR 1.759
(95% CI 1.446-2.139); OR 2.193 (95% CI 1.636-2.941) respectively].
Conclusion: There is a need to incorporate IPV screening and services in STI
clinics. Also, it is important to screen for STIs among women who present with
IPV particularly those with multiple types of violence.