Gormao Lee
Research Mentor: Peter Larson
Mentor Department: Injury Prevention Center/School of Public Health/SEAS, Public Health
Author(s): Gormao Lee, Mooketsi Molefi, Shathani Mugoma, Jaemin Jeon, Douglas Wiebe, Peter Larson
Session: Session 4 (1:00 PM – 1:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 20
Abstract
Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health problem globally and remains highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya. While the health consequences of IPV for women are well documented, less is known about its potential impacts on infant and child survival. IPV may increase child mortality risk through multiple injury-related pathways, including maternal physical injury, psychosocial stress, household instability, reduced healthcare utilization, and broader socioeconomic and geographic factors. This study examines the association between maternal experiences of IPV and infant and child mortality in Kenya using nationally representative survey data. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). The analytic sample included women aged 15–49 who completed the IPV module and provided complete birth histories. Exposure was defined as self-reported lifetime experience of physical, sexual, or emotional IPV by a current or former partner. Outcomes included any reported infant death (death before age one) and child death (death before age five) among live births. Logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between IPV exposure and mortality outcomes. Models adjusted for potential confounders, including maternal age, educational attainment, household wealth index, marital status, place of residence, and partner characteristics. All analyses accounted for the DHS complex survey design using sampling weights, clustering, and stratification. Results: The study included 32,156 women, of whom 1,629 reported experiencing IPV. Approximately 73 percent of women reported having at least one live birth. The mean age of respondents was 29.1 years. Among women with a birth history, 5.6% percent reported at least one infant death and 2.9% percent reported at least one child death. 6.7% of women reported experiencing physical intimate partner violence. In adjusted models, IPV exposure was associated with elevated but non-significant odds of infant mortality (OR 1.67 95% CI [.65-3.51]). Additional factors associated with mortality included maternal education, household wealth, and rural residence. Conclusion: Maternal exposure to intimate partner violence was associated with elevated, though non-significant, odds of infant mortality. These findings are consistent with hypothesized injury-related and psychosocial pathways and suggest IPV may be an important household-level risk marker. These findings suggest that domestic violence may represent an injury-related household risk factor, supporting its inclusion within injury prevention strategies for infant and child mortality.
