Intimate partner violence and associated factors among adult women: a population-based study

Simon, Camila; Costa, Juvenal Soares Dias da; Olinto, Maria Teresa Anselmo; Bairros, Fernanda Souza de; Gonçalves, Tonantzin Ribeiro

doi:10.11606/s1518-8787.2026060007176

Sumário Anterior Atual Seguinte

Sumário

Original Article • Rev. Saúde Pública 60 • 2026 • https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2026060007176 linkcopy

Intimate partner violence and associated factors among adult women: a population-based study

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

OBJECTIVE The study investigated the lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence among women aged 20 to 69 years residing in the urban area of São Leopoldo (RS) and associated factors.

METHODS This was a population-based cross-sectional study in which 1,113 women were interviewed. The outcome was self-reported lifetime intimate partner violence, and sociodemographic, physical and mental health, and behavioral variables were assessed. A stratified analysis by age group was performed.

RESULTS The prevalence of intimate partner violence in the sample was 17.9% (95%CI 15.6–20.1). In the adjusted analysis, the outcome was associated with lower socioeconomic status, a history of sexually transmitted infections, and the presence of common mental disorders. In the stratified analysis, women aged 20–39 years had a 13.7% (95%CI 10.5–16.8) lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence, with nearly three times the likelihood among those with common mental disorders. Among women aged 40 years or older, the prevalence was 20.7% (95%CI 17.6–23.8), with those in the lowest socioeconomic class, who were single, divorced, or widowed, who self-reported sexually transmitted infections, and who had common mental disorders being more likely to experience the outcome. Secondary intersectional analyses revealed a higher prevalence of intimate partner violence among Black or Brown women with low educational attainment (PR = 1.67; 95%CI 1.14–2.45) and White women with low educational attainment (PR = 1.58; 95%CI 1.14–2.19), compared to white women with higher educational attainment.

CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrated a high lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence, reinforcing the need for public policies that improve women’s socioeconomic conditions, as well as integrated gender-based violence prevention programs that incorporate mental health care in the support provided to victims.

DESCRIPTORS:
Intimate Partner Violence; Violence Against Women; Population Studies in Public Health; Brazil

Variables	n (%)	IPV n (%)	(95%CI)
Ages
20–29 years	213 (19)	29 (13)	(9–18)
30–39 years	240 (22)	33 (14)	(9–18)
40–49 years	272 (24)	63 (23)	(18–28)
50–59 years	226 (20)	48 (21)	(16–26)
60–69 years	162 (15)	26 (16)	(10–21)
Education
≥ 15 years	108 (10)	12 (11)	(5–17)
11–14 years	359 (32)	45 (12)	(9–16)
5–10 years	444 (40)	95 (21)	(17–25)
0–4 years	200 (18)	47 (23)	17–29
Skin color
White	830 (75)	146 (18)	(15–20)
Yellow, brown, indigenous, black	283 (25)	53 (19)	(14–23)
Economic class
A and B	386 (35)	39 (10)	(7–13)
C	587 (53)	120 (20)	(17–23)
D and E	134 (12)	40 (30)	(22–37)
Marital status
Married/in a stable relationship	402 (64)	113 (16)	(17–25)
Single/divorced/widowed	711 (36)	86 (21)	(13–18)
Number of pregnancies
None	170 (15)	14 (8)	(4–12)
One	251 (23)	33 (13)	(9–17)
Two	265 (24)	39 (15)	(10–19)
Three or more	427 (38)	113 (26)	(22–30)
Age at first pregnancy
≥ 18 years	716 (76)	126 (18)	(14–20)
Up to 17 years	224 (24)	57 (25)	(19–31)
Lifetime abortion
No	1014 (91)	172 (17)	(14–19)
Yes	95 (9)	27 (28)	(19–37)
STIs in life
No	1032 (93)	175 (17)	(14–19)
Yes	79 (7)	24 (30)	(20–40)
Number of visits
None	174 (15)	24 (14	(8–19)
One	176 (16)	31 (18)	(12–23)
Two or more	762 (68)	144 (19)	(16–21)
Excessive alcohol consumption
No	1075 (97)	190 (18)	(15–20)
Yes	32 (3)	7 (22)	(6–37)
Smoking
Non-smoker	653 (59)	91 (14)	(11–16)
Former smoker	251 (23)	56 (22)	(17–27)
Current smoker	203 (18)	52 (26)	(19–31)
Lifetime illicit drug use
No	983 (88)	172 (17)	(15–20)
Yes	130 (12)	27 (21)	(13–27)
Common mental disorder
< 7	670 (60)	84 (12)	(10–15)
≥ 7	443 (40)	115 (26)	(22–30)

Variable	Crude analysis		Adjusted analysis
Variable	PR (95%CI)	p	PR (95%CI)	p
Age^a		0.063
20–29 years	1.00
30–39 years	1.01 (0.63–1.60)
40–49 years	1.70 (1.14–2.54)
50–59 years	1.56 (1.02–2.38)
60–69 years	1.18 (0.72–1.92)
Education level		< 0.001
≥ 15 years	1.00
11–14 years	1.13 (0.62–2.05)
5–10 years	1.92 (1.10–3.38)
0–4 years	2.11 (1.17–3.81)
Skin color^a		0.665
White	1.00
Yellow, brown, indigenous, black	1.06 (0.80–1.41)
Economic class^a		< 0.001		0.001
A and B	1.00		1.00
C	2.02 (1.44–2.84)		1.62 (1.15–2.27)
D and E	2.95 (1.99–4.39)		1.94 (1.29–2.93)
Marital status		0.021		0.059
Married/in a stable relationship	1.00		1.00
Single/divorced/widowed	1.35 (1.04–1.73)		1.29 (1.00–1.66)
Number of pregnancies^b		< 0.001		< 0.001
None	1.00		1.00
One	1.60 (0.88–2.89)		1.48 (0.81–2.71)
Two	1.79 (1.00–3.19)		1.76 (0.98–3.18)
Three or more	3.21 (1.90–5.44)		2.40 (1.39–4.16)
Age at first pregnancy^b		0.008
≥ 18 years	1.00
Up to 17 years	1.45 (1.10–1.90)
Lifetime abortion^b		0.004
No	1.00
Yes	1.68 (1.18–2.37)
STIs in lifetime^b		0.002		0.002
No	1.00		1.00
Yes	1.79 (1.25–2.57)		1.70 (1.19–2.42)
Number of visits^b		0.126		0.119
None	1.00		1.00
One	1.28 (0.78–2.08)		1.54 (0.95–2.49)
Two or more	1.37 (0.92–2.04)		1.41 (0.95–2.09)
Excessive alcohol consumption^b		0.531
No	1.00
Yes	1.24 (0.63–2.41)
Smoking^b		< 0.001		0.031
Non-smoker	1.00		1.00
Former smoker	1.60 (1.19–2.16)		1.30 (0.97–1.75)
Current smoker	1.84 (1.36–2.49)		1.33 (0.98–1.81)
Lifetime illicit drug use^b		0.354
No	1.00
Yes	1.19 (0.83–1.71)
Common mental disorder^b		< 0.001		< 0.001
< 7	1.00		1.00
≥ 7	2.07 (1.60–2.67)		1.71 (1.32–2.21)

Variables	20 to 39 years				40 years or older
	Crude Analysis		Adjusted Analysis		Crude Analysis		Adjusted Analysis
	PR (95%CI)	p	PR (95%CI)	p	PR (95%CI)	p	PR (95%CI)	p
Education level^a		0.014		0.043		0.017
≥ 15 years	1.00		1.00		1.00
11 to 14 years	1.07 (0.42–2.73)		1.06 (0.42–2.63)		1.23 (0.56–2.68)
5 to 10 years	2.19 (0.90–5.33)		1.94 (0.80–4.70)		1.69 (0.82–3.48)
0 to 4 years	1.63 (0.47–5.59)		1.46 (0.43–4.92)		1.88 (0.90–3.93)
Skin color^a		0.753				0.430
White	1.00				1.00
Yellow, brown, indigenous, black	0.92 (0.53–1.58)				1.14 (0.82–1.59)
Economic class^a		0.038				< 0.001		< 0.001
A and B	1.00				1.00		1.00
C	1.64 (0.93–2.89)				2.25 (1.48–3.44)		1.76 (1.15–2.69)
D and E	1.96 (0.94–4.11)				3.55 (2.21–5.69)		2.30 (1.42–3.75)
Marital status		0.199				< 0.001		0.009
Married/in a stable relationship	1.00				1.00		1.00
Single/divorced/widowed	0.71 (0.43–1.19)				1.76 (1.31–2.36)		1.46 (1.09–1.95)
Number of pregnancies^b		0.002				< 0.001		0.008
None	1.00				1.00		1.00
One	2.10 (1.00–4.40)				0.89 (0.33–2.41)		0.84 (0.31–2.25)
Two	1.72 (0.71–4.15)				1.29 (0.53–3.14)		1.30 (0.54–3.14)
Three or more	3.18 (1.53–6.61)				2.27 (0.98–5.27)		1.71 (0.73–3.97)
Age at first pregnancy^b		0.223				0.003
≥ 18 years	1.00				1.00
Up to 17 years	1.36 (0.83–2.24)				1.64 (1.18–2.28)
Lifetime abortion^b		0.024				0.081
No	1.00				1.00
Yes	2.17 (1.10–4.27)				1.43 (0.96–2.15)
STIs in lifetime^b		0.183				0.001		0.001
No	1.00				1.00		1.00
Yes	1.57 (0.81–3.06)				2.04 (1.35–3.08)		1.97 (1.30–2.97)
Number of visits^b		0.409		0.193		0.386
None	1.00		1.00		1.00
One	1.06 (0.46–2.43)		1.20 (0.53–2.73)		1.30 (0.70–2.41)
Two or more	1.27 (0.68–2.37)		1.44 (0.79–2.65)		1.30 (0.77–2.20)
Excessive alcohol consumption^b		0.594				0.018
No	1.00				1.00
Yes	0.69 (0.18–2.65)				2.24 (1.15–4.35)
Smoking^b		0.002				0.006		0.203
Non-smoker	1.00				1.00		1.00
Former smoker	1.95 (1.09–3.46)				1.35 (0.95–1.93)		1.15 (0.83–1.62)
Smoker	2.12 (1.24–3.63)				1.64 (1.14–2.35)		1.25 (0.88–1.77)
Lifetime illicit drug use^b		0.159				0.267
No	1.00				1.00
Yes	1.44 (0.87–2.40)				1.36 (0.79–2.36)
Common mental disorder^b		< 0.001		0.001		< 0.001		0.006
< 7	1.00		1.00		1.00		1.00
≥ 7	2.59 (1.59–4.20)		2.33 (1.41–3.87)		1.90 (1.42–2.57)		1.50 (1.12–2.01)

location_on

Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 715, 01246-904 São Paulo SP Brazil, Tel./Fax: +55 11 3061-7985 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revsp@usp.br

rss_feed Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[TFN1] 95%CI: 95% confidence interval; IPV: intimate partner violence; STIs: sexually transmitted infections.