Peer-reviewed article
Individual- and community-level factors associated with intimate partner controlling behavior among women in Somaliland: a multilevel analysis of the 2020 Somaliland demographic and health survey
Abdulkadir Mohamed Nuh, Abdirashiid Muhumed Guled, Mohamed Abdilahi Mohamed, Abdisalam Mahdi Hassan, Hamse Arab Ali et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This study analyses the 2020 Somaliland Demographic and Health Survey to estimate how many ever-married women aged 15–49 experience controlling behavior from a partner. About 26.7% of women reported at least one of five controlling behaviors. Higher odds were linked to ages 25–29, primary education and middle or rich household wealth. Lower odds were linked to joint healthcare decisions, current pregnancy, later age at marriage, partner employment and living in certain regions. The focus is on adult women's experience of partner control, not on children's well-being directly.
Key points
- Prevalence of intimate partner controlling behavior was 26.7% (95% CI: 25.8–27.6%).
- Women aged 25–29 (AOR 1.60) and women with primary education (AOR 1.70) had higher odds.
- Women from middle-wealth (AOR 1.46) and rich-wealth (AOR 1.56) households had higher odds.
- Marriage at ages 19–26 (AOR 0.71) or after age 26 (AOR 0.63) was associated with lower odds than earlier marriage.
- Joint healthcare decision-making (AOR 0.69) was associated with lower odds.
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional survey analysis, so it shows associations but not causes. Controlling behavior was reported only for the current partner and was self-reported. The sample covers ever-married women aged 15–49, so it says little about children or girls specifically.
Abstract
Background Intimate partner controlling behavior (IPCB) is a key manifestation of coercive control and an important precursor to other forms of intimate partner violence. Despite its adverse consequences for women’s autonomy, mental health, and well-being, evidence on the prevalence and factors associated with IPCB in Somaliland remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and identify the individual- and community-level factors associated with IPCB among ever-married women in Somaliland. Methods A secondary analysis of the 2020 Somaliland Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS) was conducted using a weighted sample of 9,428.14 (unweighted n = 9,593) ever-married women aged 15–49 years. IPCB was defined as experiencing at least one of five partner controlling behaviors reported for the respondent’s current husband/partner. Multilevel logistic regression models, incorporating the DHS sample weight (V005) and clustering by primary sampling unit (135 clusters), were fitted to account for the hierarchical structure of the survey data and to identify factors associated with IPCB. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported, and statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. Results The prevalence of IPCB was 26.7% (95% CI: 25.8–27.6%; unweighted prevalence 25.1%). Women aged 25–29 years (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.01–2.53), those with primary education (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.44–2.00), and women from middle- (AOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.20–1.77) and rich-wealth households (AOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.30–1.88) had higher odds of experiencing IPCB. Conversely, joint healthcare decision-making (AOR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.60–0.79), current pregnancy (AOR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.63–0.85), marriage at ages 19–26 years (AOR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.63–0.80) or >26 years (AOR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.49–0.81), household size of 4–7 members (AOR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.71–0.92), partner employment (AOR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.68–0.87), and residence in Marodijeh, Togdheer, Sool, and Sanaag regions were associated with lower odds of IPCB. Conclusion Approximately one in four ever-married women in Somaliland experienced intimate partner controlling behavior, underscoring IPCB as an important public health and gender equality concern. Both individual- and community-level factors were significantly associated with women’s odds of experiencing IPCB, highlighting the need for multilevel interventions that strengthen women’s decision-making autonomy, delay early marriage, promote girls’ education, and implement context-specific strategies to prevent coercive control and advance gender equality.