Author(s)

Kingsley Mayowa Okonoda^1,2*, Kurkat Poyi Maigida³, Moses David Audu^1,2, Ayodele Obembe⁴

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
²Department of Psychiatry, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.
³Department of Medicine, Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.
⁴Department of Psychiatry, Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Background: Intimate partner violence is a serious public health concern worldwide and is linked with serious mental and physical health consequences. Despite its commonality and attendant consequences, proper public healthcare intervention is rudimentary. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between quality of life associated with intimate partner violence among females attending the HIV Clinic at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau, Nigeria. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design and data was collected from 174 female patients attending the HIV Clinic who met the inclusion criteria with the aid of a 73-item semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. This captured socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude towards intimate partner violence and their experiences of violence and quality of life using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF). Results: Almost half of the respondents, 85 (48.9%) rated their quality of life as good. Respondents experiencing IPV reported poorer quality of life compared to those not experiencing partner violence in all the domains and it was statistically significant in the physical health (p < 0.04) and environment domains (p < 0.003). The lifetime prevalence of IPV was 67.2% while the experience of current prevalence was 42%. Religion, alcohol use in partners and controlling behaviors were significantly associated with the experience of violence. Respondents who were married were nearly 3 times more likely to experience partner violence in their lifetime (OR: 2.71, 95% CI: 1.11 - 6.67). Conclusion: IPV is common among females attending the HIV/AIDS Clinic and those affected reported significantly poorer quality of life.

Intimate Partner Violence, Domestic Violence, Quality of Life, Nigeria HIV/AIDS

Okonoda, K. , Maigida, K. , Audu, M. and Obembe, A. (2023) Relationship between Intimate Partner Violence and Quality of Life among Females Attending the HIV Clinic of a Teaching Hospital in North Central, Nigeria. Health, 15, 475-494. doi: 10.4236/health.2023.156032.