AUTHOR=Melkam Mamaru , Asnake Angwach Abrham , Mekuria Negussie Yohannes , Bezie Meklit Melaku , Asmare Zufan Alamrie , Asebe Hiwot Altaye , Seifu Beminate Lemma , Fente Bezawit Melak 

TITLE=Help-seeking behaviors and determinant factors among women exposed to intimate partner violence in East Africa based on recent demographic and health survey data: a multilevel analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1402704

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1402704

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Introduction: Human rights violations and violence against women are serious public health issues that have numerous detrimental repercussions on one's physical, emotional, sexual, and reproductive health. According to studies, women's perceptions and traits of violence are highly predictive of their likelihood of seeking help against violence. Even though intimate partner violence is a huge challenge nowadays in Africa, there is a low level of help-seeking behavior.Conducting this study at the East African level on help-seeking behavior can provide a clue for policy-makers. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the prevalence of help-seeking behavior against intimate partner violence and determinate factors among women in East Africa.Demographic and Health Survey data. A total of 7,387 participants aged 15 to 49 years were included in this study from East African countries. Individual level and community level variables were considered to determine the associated factors with help-seeking behaviors against intimate partner violence with 95% CI and AOR.The prevalence of help-seeking behavior against intimate partner violence among women was 38.07% with a 95% CI (36.96%, 39.18%). Husbands drink alcohol [AOR=1.46: 95% CI; (1.33, 1.61)], women who have work [AOR=1.33: 95% CI; (1.19, 1.50)], and women with higher educational status [AOR=1.36: 95% CI; (1.16, 1.59)] were factors associated with help-seeking behavior against intimate partner violence.Approximately four out of ten women were seeking help for their intimate partner violence in East Africa. Husbands drinking alcohol, women's high educational status, and women having occupations were the factors that were associated with help-seeking behaviors against intimate partner violence.