Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
AIDS Control Program, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Pan Afr Med J. 2024 Apr 18;47:196. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2024.47.196.42109. eCollection 2024.
global studies indicate that sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) may increase during pandemics including COVID-19. The Mid-Eastern region in Uganda was of concern due to the high prevalence of intimate partner sexual violence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Due to limited data, we investigated factors associated with SGBV among AGYW during the COVID-19 pandemic in Eastern Uganda, in April 2022.
we listed all AGYW 10-24 years who obtained SGBV services at 10 high-volume health facilities from March 2020 to December 2021, the main COVID-19 period in Uganda. We conducted a case-control study among these AGYW. A case was ≥1 SGBV episode experienced by an AGYW aged 10-24 years residing in the Tororo and Busia districts. For every randomly selected case from the health facility line list, we identified two neighbourhood-matched AGYW controls who reported no SGBV. We interviewed 108 and 216 controls on socio-demographics, socio-economics, and SGBV experiences during COVID-19. We conducted logistic regression to identify associated factors.
among 389 SGBV cases, the mean age was 16.4 (SD± 1.6: range 10-24) years, and 350 (90%) were aged 15-19 years. Among 108 cases interviewed, 79 (73%) reported forced sex. Most (n=73; 68%) knew the perpetrator. In multivariate analysis, self-reported SGBV before the COVID-19 period [aOR=5.8, 95%CI: 2.8-12] and having older siblings [aOR=1.9, 95%: CI 1.1-3.4] were associated with SGBV during the period. Living with a family that provided all the basic needs was protective [aOR=0.42, 95%: CI 0.23-0.78].
previous SGBV experiences and family dynamics, such as having older siblings, increased the odds of SGBV during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. Conversely, a supportive family environment was protective. Identifying, supporting, and enacting protective interventions for SGBV victims and socioeconomically vulnerable AGYW could reduce the burden of SGBV during similar events.
全球研究表明，性暴力和基于性别的暴力（SGBV）可能会在包括 COVID-19 在内的大流行期间增加。乌干达中东部地区令人担忧，因为青少年女孩和年轻妇女（AGYW）中亲密伴侣性暴力的流行率很高。由于数据有限，我们调查了 2022 年 4 月乌干达东部 COVID-19 大流行期间 AGYW 中与 SGBV 相关的因素。
我们列出了 2020 年 3 月至 2021 年 12 月期间在 10 个大容量卫生设施获得 SGBV 服务的所有 10-24 岁 AGYW。我们在这些 AGYW 中进行了病例对照研究。病例为 10-24 岁居住在托罗罗和布西亚地区的 AGYW 经历的 ≥1 次 SGBV 发作。对于从卫生设施名单中随机选择的每例病例，我们确定了 2 名在社区中与之相匹配且报告没有 SGBV 的 AGYW 对照。我们对 108 名和 216 名对照进行了社会人口统计学、社会经济学和 COVID-19 期间 SGBV 经历的访谈。我们进行了逻辑回归以确定相关因素。
在 389 例 SGBV 病例中，平均年龄为 16.4 岁（标准差±1.6：范围 10-24），350 例（90%）年龄为 15-19 岁。在接受采访的 108 例病例中，有 79 例（73%）报告了强迫性行为。大多数（n=73；68%）认识犯罪者。在多变量分析中，COVID-19 前自我报告的 SGBV [aOR=5.8，95%CI：2.8-12]和有年龄较大的兄弟姐妹[aOR=1.9，95%：CI 1.1-3.4]与期间的 SGBV 相关。与提供所有基本需求的家庭一起生活是有保护作用的[aOR=0.42，95%：CI 0.23-0.78]。
COVID-19 大流行期间，先前的 SGBV 经历和家庭动态（如拥有年龄较大的兄弟姐妹）增加了 SGBV 的可能性。相反，支持性的家庭环境具有保护作用。确定、支持和实施对 SGBV 受害者和社会经济弱势 AGYW 的保护干预措施，可以减轻类似事件中 SGBV 的负担。
