Background
Domestic violence (DV) against women is a global issue that affects women in all countries and is a significant contributor to their poor health. Women who have experienced DV, in particular, suffer from the gynecological, nervous system, and stress-related issues. Despite such devastating implications, there is a paucity of data on the prevalence of DV and its associated factors among married reproductive-age women in Cameroon.
Method
A community-based crossectional demographic and health survey was conducted in Cameroon in 2018. The participants were chosen using a two-stage stratified selection procedure. To find factors linked to domestic violence, we employed multivariable logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was determined using a p-value of less than 0.05 and a 95 % confidence range.
Result
A total of 4,903 ever-married women were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 31.3 (± 8.4) years with an age range of 15-49 years. The prevalence of domestic violence among ever-married Cameroonian women was 30.5% with 95%CI (29.3%, 31.8%). womens’ educational attainment (higher education) (AOR=0.57, 95% CI (0.36, 1.04)), Husband education (husbands who attended primary educational level (AOR=1.29, 95% CI (1.00, 1.66). Plus to the above factors women whose husband alcohol (AOR= 3.00, 95% CI (2.56, 3.52)), and the region where the women reside in (center without Yaoundé (AOR= 2.54, 95% CI (1.79, 3.60), west (AOR=1.54, 95% CI (1.09, 2.19), South (AOR=1.99, 95% CI (1.18, 2.50), and Yaoundé (AOR=1.72. 95% CI(1.18,2.50) were significantly associated with womens’ domestic violence by their partner in the past 12 months.
Conclusion
The present study revealed that the prevalence of domestic violence among ever-married women in Cameroon is high. Womens’ education, husband education, husband alcohol drinking, and the region where the women reside in the country are factors significantly associated with domestic violence.