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. 2024 Jun 28:14:04141.
doi: 10.7189/jogh.14.04141.

Water, sanitation, and intimate partner violence: Insights from Kibra Slums, Nairobi

Stephen Ombija #  1 , Hesborn Wao #  2 , Tammary Esho  1
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Water, sanitation, and intimate partner violence: Insights from Kibra Slums, Nairobi

Stephen Ombija et al. J Glob Health. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses significant health and social challenges for women, particularly in slums characterised by limited access to basic amenities like water and sanitation facilities. This study aimed to investigate the association between accessibility of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and IPV among women in Kibra, Nairobi county, Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design utilising a modified Demographic Health and Survey questionnaire was conducted among women aged 15-49 in Kibra slums. Data on water and sanitation accessibility and IPV experiences were collected from 1068 participants. Quantitative analysis by use of logistic regression, was conducted to assess associations between WASH accessibility and IPV.

Results: Among the participants, 64.0% reported experiences of IPV. Women who had access to water inside household; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.44 (95% CI = 0.31-0.64) and sanitation AOR = 0.57 (95% CI = 0.37-0.88) had decreased odds of experiencing IPV whereas reliance on external water sources such as outside pipes AOR = 18.18 (95% CI = 8.62-38.33) or vendors AOR = 14.42 (95% CI = 6.88-30.24) had heightened IPV vulnerability.

Conclusions: Access to clean water and sanitation is associated with reduced likelihood of women experiencing IPV in slums whereas access to water outside household is associated with increased likelihood of experiencing IPV. Connecting households with water to improve access and construction of adequate sanitation facilities may protect women against intimate partner violence in slums.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure of interest: The authors completed the ICMJE Disclosure of Interest Form (available upon request from the corresponding author) and disclose no relevant interests.

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