Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Undernutrition among Ever Partnered Nepalese Women of Ages 15-49 Years

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and undernutrition among partnered (married or cohabitating) women of reproductive age. 2011 Nepal Demographic Health Survey data collected from ever partnered women of ages 15 to 49 years was used to explore the research question of this study. Women’s experience of three IPV forms- physical, sexual and emotional IPVs- the year before data collection was used to ascertain their exposure status; their hemoglobin level and body mass index were used as proxies of their nutritional status. Among the three IPV forms, only emotional IPV was significantly associated with nutrition. The odds ratio of being underweight (low BMI) for physical IPV victims was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.67-1.34), for sexual IPV victims was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.63-1.30), and for emotional IPV was 1.43 (95% CI: 1.02-2.01). Similarly, the odds ratio of being anemic for physical IPV victims was 1.25 (95% CI: 0.93-1.67), for sexual IPV victims was 1.15 (95% CI: 0.86-1.55), and for emotional IPV victims, if also food insecure, was 1.92 (95% CI: 1.13-3.26). Finally, the odds ratio of being underweight or anemic for physical IPV victims was 1.18 (95% CI: 0.90-1.56), for sexual IPV victims was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.74-1.30), and for emotional IPV victims, if they also smoked, was 1.83 (95% CI: 0.99-3.36). The study concluded that women who have experienced IPV, especially emotional IPV, have higher likelihood of being underweight or anemic