Tolerance of Violence against Women and the Risk of Psychosocial Distress in Humanitarian Settings in Northern Uganda

Paul Bukuluki, Peter Kisaakye, Bonny Etti, Micheal Ocircan and Roberts-Reites Bev
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Paul Bukuluki: School of Social Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala 7062, Uganda
Peter Kisaakye: School of Statistics and Planning, Makerere University, Kampala 7062, Uganda
Bonny Etti: Save the Children, Kampala 12018, Uganda
Micheal Ocircan: Save the Children, Kampala 12018, Uganda
Roberts-Reites Bev: Save the Children, Kampala 12018, Uganda

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Violence against women (VAW) remains a public health concern, which can sometimes lead to mental or psychological stress among other negative consequences. Data and methods: we fitted a binary logistic regression model on 657 respondents from host and refugee settings in three humanitarian districts (Adjumani, Obongi, and Lamwo) to examine the determinants of psychosocial stress. Results: experience of psychosocial distress is higher among refugees than host populations. Results indicate a higher proportion of respondents who ever experienced psychosocial stress in the 6 months preceding the survey among those who believed that a woman should tolerate violence (59% vs. 53%). Respondents who believed that a woman should tolerate violence had higher odds of experiencing psychosocial stress than their counterparts who believed a woman should not tolerate violence (OR = 6.86; 95%CI = 1.23–38.22). The likelihood to experience psychosocial stress was higher among females (OR = 6.94; 95%CI = 1.76–27.32), those with primary education (OR = 4.73; 95%CI = 1.24–18.00), and respondents with less than USD 2.7 as personal income one month before the survey (OR = 3.37; 95%CI = 1.32–8.62). Respondents who said that women should engage in income generation activities had higher odds to experience psychosocial stress (OR = 0.39; 95%CI = 0.17–0.89). Conclusion: results suggest that income and positive attitudes toward female-led income generating activities act as protective measures against psychosocial distress. Given the associations between VAW and psychosocial distress, efforts aimed at prevention and response to VAW in humanitarian settings should integrate mental health and psychosocial support interventions.

Keywords: violence against women; psychosocial distress; humanitarian settings; refugees; host communities; Northern Uganda (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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