Pooled analysis of the association between mental health and violence against women: evidence from five settings in the Global South.

Objectives: To describe associations between men's poor mental health (depressive and post-traumatic stress symptomatology) and their perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence (NPSV), and women's mental health and their experiences of IPV and NPSV in five settings in the Global South.

Design: A pooled analysis of data from baseline interviews with men and women participating in five violence against women and girls prevention intervention evaluations.

Setting: Three sub-Saharan African countries (South Africa, Ghana and Rwanda), and one Middle Eastern country, the occupied Palestinian territories.

Does experiencing a traumatic life event increase the risk of intimate partner violence for young women? A cross-sectional analysis and structural equation model of data from the intervention in South Africa.

Objectives: To investigate associations and potential pathways between women's lifetime exposure to traumatic events and their recent experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV).

Setting: South African informal settlements near Durban.

Participants: 677 women, living in informal settlements, aged 18-30 years, currently out of school or formal employment.

Factors associated with female students' past year experience of sexual violence in South African public higher education settings: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Intimate partner sexual violence and non-partner rape experiences are widely reported by female students in South African higher education institutions, as they are globally. However, limited research has focused on investigating vulnerability factors, which is vital for informing interventions.

Objective: To describe the factors and inter-relationships associated with female students' increased vulnerability to past year experience of partner sexual violence and non-partner rape in South African higher education settings.

Adherence of HIV clinics to guidelines for the delivery of TB screening among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

Background: Tuberculosis screening of people living with HIV (PLHIV) - an intervention to reduce the burden of TB among PLHIV - is being implemented at HIV clinics in Ghana since 2007, but TB screening coverage remains low. Facility adherence to intervention guidelines may be a factor but is missing in implementation science literature. This study assesses the level of HIV clinic adherence to the guidelines and related facility characteristics in selected district hospitals in Ghana.

Fidelity of implementation of TB screening guidelines by health providers at selected HIV clinics in Ghana.

Introduction: Tuberculosis screening of people living with human immunodeficiency virus is an intervention recommended by the WHO to control the dual epidemic of TB and HIV. The extent to which the intervention is adhered to by the HIV healthcare providers (fidelity) determines the intervention's effectiveness as measured by patient outcomes, but literature on fidelity is scarce. This study assessed provider implementation fidelity to national guidelines on TB screening at HIV clinics in Ghana.

Pooled analysis of the association between alcohol use and violence against women: evidence from four violence prevention studies in Africa.

Objectives: To test associations between men's past year alcohol use and patterns of drinking, and their perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence (NPSV). To test the associations between women's reports of partner alcohol use and their experience of IPV, in three countries in Africa.

Design: Pooled analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from men and women participating in four IPV prevention studies across Africa and Asia.

Peer victimization and experiences of violence at school and at home among school age children with disabilities in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

: Children with disabilities are more likely to experience violence or injury at school and at home, but there is little evidence from Central Asia. : To describe the prevalence of disability and associations with peer violence perpetration and victimization, depression, corporal punishment, school performance and school attendance, among middle school children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. : This is a secondary analysis of data gathered in the course of evaluations of interventions to prevent peer violence conducted in Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of the 'What Works to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls Global Programme'.

Right To Play's intervention to reduce peer violence among children in public schools in Pakistan: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Background: Peer violence is common globally, but a little researched topic in low-and middle-income countries. This study presents the evaluation of a two-year randomized controlled trial of a structured play-based life-skills intervention implemented in schools in Hyderabad, Pakistan.

Objective: To determine the impact of the intervention on school-based peer violence (victimization and perpetration) and depression among school children.

Patriarchy and gender-inequitable attitudes as drivers of intimate partner violence against women in the central region of Ghana.

Background: In order to reduce women's exposure to violence and develop culturally appropriate interventions, it is important to gain an understanding of how men who use violence rationalize it. The present study sought to explore the perspectives of men who had used violence on their female partners, specifically their views on intimate partner violence (IPV), gender norms, manhood, their gender attitudes and to understand how these may drive male perpetrated IPV against women in the Central Region of Ghana.

Methods: This was a qualitative study involving purposively sampled adult men who had participated in a household-based survey in selected districts in the Central Region of Ghana and who had self-reported perpetration of IPV in the past 12 months.

Evaluation of the rural response system intervention to prevent violence against women: findings from a community-randomised controlled trial in the Central Region of Ghana.

: Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects one in three women globally and undermines women's human rights, social and economic development, and health, hence the need for integrated interventions involving communities in its prevention.: This community-randomised controlled trial evaluated the Rural Response System (RRS) intervention, which uses Community Based Action Teams to prevent IPV by raising awareness and supporting survivors, compared to no intervention.: Two districts of the Central Region of Ghana were randomly allocated to each arm.

'Small small quarrels bring about happiness or love in the relationships': Exploring community perceptions and gendered norms contributing to male perpetrated intimate partner violence in the Central Region of Ghana.

In this paper, we explore gender norms held by men and women that might contribute to male perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ghana. This qualitative research was conducted at the pre-intervention stage of a cluster randomized controlled trial. Our intervention uses community-based action teams to change social norms on gender and violence.

What works to prevent violence against children in Afghanistan? Findings of an interrupted time series evaluation of a school-based peace education and community social norms change intervention in Afghanistan.

Background: Against a backdrop of more than four decades of war, conflict and insecurity, Afghanistan is recognised as suffering from endemic violence and children are exposed to multiple forms of violence, including at the family and school levels. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of school-based peace education and a community-based intervention to change harmful social norms and practices related to gender and the use of violence in conflict resolution, implemented in Afghanistan with the aim of reducing violence against and between children.

Methods: The evaluation consisted of a cross-sectional, interrupted time series design with three data collection points over 12 months.

Rural response system to prevent violence against women: methodology for a community randomised controlled trial in the central region of Ghana.

Violence against women (VAW) is common in Ghana, with nation-wide surveys reporting high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) (physical, sexual and/or emotional violence). Our trial assesses the community level impact of the Rural Response System which uses Community-Based Action Teams 'COMBAT' for preventing VAW in Ghana. This study is a mixed method unmatched cluster randomised controlled trial and includes rural (n = 23), peri-urban (n = 7) and urban (n = 10) communities in four districts of the Central Region, Ghana.

The intersection of school corporal punishment and associated factors: Baseline results from a randomized controlled trial in Pakistan.

Violence against youth is a global issue; one form of youth victimization is school corporal punishment. We use baseline assessments from a cluster randomized controlled trial to examine the prevalence of school corporal punishment, by gender, and the relationship to levels of peer violence at school, parent corporal punishment, youth food security and youth academic performance and school attendance in Pakistan. Forty homogenous public schools in the urban city of Hyderabad, Pakistan were chosen for randomization into the trial evaluating a youth violence prevention intervention.

Prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence among women in four districts of the central region of Ghana: Baseline findings from a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant global public health problem. Understanding risk factors is crucial for developing prevention programmes. Yet, little evidence exists on population-based prevalence and risk factors for IPV in West Africa.

Prevalence and risk factors of physical or sexual intimate violence perpetration amongst men in four districts in the central region of Ghana: Baseline findings from a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Evidence-based interventions are essential in the prevention of violence against women (VAW). An understanding of risk factors for male perpetration of VAW using population-based research is crucial for developing such interventions. This study is a baseline assessment of a two-arm unmatched cluster randomised controlled trial (C-RCT), set up to assess the impact of a Rural Response System (RRS) intervention for preventing violence against women and girls in Ghana.

Peer violence perpetration and victimization: Prevalence, associated factors and pathways among 1752 sixth grade boys and girls in schools in Pakistan.

Background: Child peer violence is a global problem and seriously impacts health and education. There are few research studies available in Pakistan, or South Asia. We describe the prevalence of peer violence, associations, and pathways between socio-economic status, school performance, gender attitudes and violence at home.

Attitude towards gender roles and violence against women and girls (VAWG): baseline findings from an RCT of 1752 youths in Pakistan.

Background: Violence against women is driven by gender norms that normalize and justify gender inequality and violence. Gender norms are substantially shaped during adolescence. Programs offered through schools offer an opportunity to influence gender attitudes toward gender equity if we understand these to be partly shaped by peers and the school environment.

Prevalence and risk factors for intimate partner violence among Grade 8 learners in urban South Africa: baseline analysis from the Skhokho Supporting Success cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem among adolescents. This study investigated the prevalence of and factors associated with Grade 8 girls' experience and boys' perpetration of IPV in South Africa.

Methods: Participants were interviewed using interviewer-administered questionnaires about IPV, childhood violence, bullying, gender attitudes, alcohol use and risky sexual behaviours.

Patterns, levels and correlates of self-reported physical activity in urban black Soweto women.

Background: Urban black South African women have a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the physical activity patterns of a cohort of middle-aged urban-dwelling black African women and to determine if physical activity is associated with anthropometric measures and metabolic outcomes in this population.

Methods: Physical activity and sitting time were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) in a cross-sectional study of 977 black African women (mean age 41.