Background:

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread and is influenced by individual-specific factors. However, the impact of spousal sociodemographic disparities (age, earnings, education) remains understudied.

Objectives:

This study investigates the relationship between spousal sociodemographic disparities and women’s IPV experiences in 29 developing countries in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa.

Design:

We used a cross-sectional design, analyzing data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series-Demographic and Health Surveys (IPUMS-DHS).

Methods:

We conducted logistic regression to assess associations between spousal disparities and four forms of IPV including less severe physical violence (LSPV), severe physical violence (SPV), emotional violence (EV), and sexual violence (SV) based on spousal age, earnings, and education disparities.

Results:

The analysis revealed that spousal education disparities are significantly associated with increased IPV odds. Women with more educated husbands faced higher odds of LSPV (OR = 1.044, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.08; p < 0.05) and SV (OR = 1.085, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.14; p < 0.01), with no significant association for SPV or EV. Larger spousal age gaps were consistently associated with a reduced probability of all IPV forms, particularly LSPV (OR = 0.765, 95% CI = 0.72, 0.81; p < 0.001) and SV (OR = 0.656, 95% CI = 0.58, 0.74; p < 0.001). Earnings disparities also played a crucial role: women earning more than their husbands faced higher odds of LSPV (OR = 1.361, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.50; p < 0.001), EV (OR = 1.573, 95% CI = 1.42, 1.74; p < 0.001), and SV (OR = 1.624, 95% CI = 1.42, 1.86; p < 0.001). When husbands earned more, women also faced higher odds of IPV, although these associations were weaker.

Conclusion:

The findings underscore the need for targeted policies to prevent IPV, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, by addressing spousal disparities in age, earnings, and education to promote gender equality.

Plain language summary

Age, earnings, and education differentials among spouses as predictors of domestic violence in developing countries

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is common worldwide and is affected by personal factors. However, the impact of differences between spouses in age, earnings, and education is not well understood. Objectives: This study examines how differences in age, earnings, and education between husbands and wives relate to women’s experiences of IPV in 29 developing countries across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series-Demographic and Health Surveys (IPUMS-DHS). Methods: We used logistic regression to explore the relationships between spousal differences and four types of IPV: less severe physical violence, severe physical violence, emotional violence, and sexual violence, based on differences in age, earnings, and education between spouses. Results: Our analysis showed that when husbands are more educated than their wives, women are more likely to experience certain types of IPV. Specifically, these women faced higher odds of less severe physical violence and sexual violence, but there was no significant link with severe physical violence or emotional violence. Larger age gaps, where husbands are much older than their wives, were associated with a lower likelihood of all forms of IPV, especially less severe physical violence and sexual violence. Earnings differences also had a significant impact: women who earned more than their husbands were more likely to experience less severe physical violence, emotional violence, and sexual violence. Women whose husbands earned more also faced higher odds of IPV, but these associations were weaker. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for targeted policies to prevent IPV in low- and middle-income countries by addressing differences in age, earnings, and education between spouses to promote gender equality.

Search results

Exploring spousal disparities: Age,earnings,and education as predictors of intimate partner violence in 29 developing countries