BACKGROUND: There is limited research on the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and tobacco use from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study investigates the relationship between current smoked and smokeless tobacco (SST) use and current and past IPV victimization, categorized by type, among women in seven Asian LMICs.
METHODS: We conducted secondary analyses of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) women’s data during 2015-2022 collected in Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Timor-Leste. IPV and type (control, physical, emotional, and sexual) were assessed using the optional domestic violence module and categorized as “current”, “ever” or “never” experiencing IPV. SST use was defined as using at least one tobacco product. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to estimate the crude odds ratio (OR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for the association between IPV with current SST use, while controlling for selected sociodemographic factors.
RESULTS: Current SST use ranged from 2.9% (Cambodia) to 8.2% (Nepal); ever experienced IPV ranged from 33.2% (Cambodia) to 80.2% (Afghanistan). The association between SST use and IPV differed by country and type of IPV. In Afghanistan and the Philippines, SST use was associated with all IPV types, both current and ever. In Nepal, Pakistan, and Timor-Leste, SST use was associated with only one type of IPV: ever experiencing physical, emotional, and sexual IPV, respectively. Further, the strength of the relationship varied. For example, women who experienced any form of IPV had 3.2 times higher odds of using SST products in Afghanistan, 1.8 times in Cambodia, and 1.5 times in the Philippines, compared with women who did not experience IPV.
CONCLUSIONS: Current SST use among women varied across different IPV types and countries in our study. Addressing tobacco use within IPV interventions could help reduce SST use and improve the health of women experiencing IPV.