Prevalence and awareness of female sexual and reproductive health and rights and intimate partner violence in the Fako Division, Cameroon

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Interventions towards ending intimate partner violence (IPV) and female sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) violation are more successful when the prevalence amongst females, and awareness level of these rights amongst males and females are known. This fosters a compounding holistic impact on women's health and wellbeing throughout the rest of their lives. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the prevalence of IPV and SRHR violation amongst females and the awareness of IPV and female SRHR amongst males and females in the Fako Division, Cameroon. METHODS: A cross-sectional community-based quantitative study design was used to collect data from participants in Limbe and Buea health districts of the Fako Division. Participants were selected through a multistage sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on IPV from 860 female participants and on the awareness of SRHR from 1487 male and female participants. The data was analyzed in SPSS version 26. Factors associated with the number of IPV experienced by females and awareness of IPV and SRHR were identified using poison and logistic regression models respectively. Awareness of IPV and SRHR among males and females was compared using a Chi squared test. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of the 860 females surveyed, 818 (95.1%) and 556 (64.7%) have experienced at least one form of IPV and SRHR violation respectively. Factors independently associated with the number of times IPV was experienced included being an internally displaced person (p = 0.004, IRR = 1.38), unskilled (p = 0.001, IRR = 1.48), divorced (p < 0.001, IRR = 3.09), widowed (p < 0.001, IRR = 0.08) and earning a lower income (p = 0.003, IRR = 0.72). In addition to having a lower level of education, the associated factors were similar to the prevalence of SRHR violation experienced. Both males (85.5%, 83%) and females (85%, 87%) had a high awareness level of IPV and female SRHR. Amongst the factors associated with IPV awareness, level of education was significant in both females and males (p = 0.015, 0.038 respectively) and having a skilled job was significant (p = 0.003) with female SRHR awareness. CONCLUSION: This study showed that though both males and females have a high awareness level of IPV and SRHR, the prevalence of IPV and SRHR violation amongst females is still very high. Male-directed education aimed at promoting behaviour change that fosters respect of women's rights, changes harmful social norms and engages men as champions of female SRHR and ending IPV will likely decrease the prevalence of IPV and female SRHR violation.