Study of the Preliminary Effect of TEVAW: a Program to Address Intimate Partner Violence in Northern Tanzania

Boston University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Intimate Partner Violence

Treatments: Behavioral: Male Peer Groups; Behavioral: Male Peer Groups and Community Dialogues

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT02434796

SVRI49-WEI2014

Details and patient eligibility

About

Women in Tanzania suffer alarming rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) that has detrimental effects on mental and physical health including an increased risk of HIV infection. The investigators will use a cluster randomized control study design to conduct a preliminary evaluation study of TEVAW, an intervention that aims to improve gender equitable attitudes and to decrease tolerance of IPV among men and women in rural Tanzania. Nine villages will be randomly assigned into one of three study arms, each comprised of 150 partnered women and their co-resident male partners. Women in the comparison arm are currently exposed to World Education's savings and lending group intervention (known as LIMCA), in which they receive training on business skills, literacy, child nutrition and health, child protection, intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV prevention. Women in Intervention Arm 1 will be exposed to LIMCA, while their male partners will participate in male peer group workshops that explore gender norms, IPV and HIV prevention issues. In Intervention Arm 2, men and women will receive the same treatment as Intervention Arm 1 and participate in community dialogues with community leaders to explore similar topics as the male peer groups. Our hypothesis is that study participants in Arm 2 will report improved gender equitable attitudes and lower intolerance of intimate partner violence than participants in Arm 1 and participants in the control group. Data will be collected at baseline and endline using a structured questionnaire with questions from three validated instruments that measure gender equitable attitudes and attitudes about IPV.

Full description

Women in Tanzania suffer alarming rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) that has detrimental effects on mental and physical health including an increased risk of HIV infection. The investigators will use a cluster randomized control study design to conduct a preliminary evaluation study of TEVAW, an intervention that aims to improve gender equitable attitudes and to decrease tolerance of IPV among men and women in rural Tanzania. Nine villages will be randomly assigned into one of three study arms, each comprised of 150 partnered women and their co-resident male partners. A total of 450 women and their partners will be recruited for the study. Women in the comparison arm are currently exposed to World Education's savings and lending group intervention (known as LIMCA), in which they receive training on business skills, literacy, child nutrition and health, child protection, intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV prevention. Women in Intervention Arm 1 will be exposed to LIMCA, while their male partners will participate in male peer group workshops that explore gender norms, IPV and HIV prevention issues. In Intervention Arm 2, men and women will receive the same treatment as Intervention Arm 1 and participate in community dialogues with community leaders to explore similar topics as the male peer groups. Our hypothesis is that study participants in Arm 2 will report improved gender equitable attitudes and lower intolerance of intimate partner violence than participants in Arm 1 and participants in the control group. Data will be collected at baseline and endline using a structured questionnaire with questions from three validated instruments that measure gender equitable attitudes and attitudes about IPV. The following are the specific aims of the study:

To test the feasibility, acceptability and proof of concept of two interventions (women's savings groups combined with male peer groups vs. women's savings groups combined with male peer groups and community dialogues) compared to a control group participating only in women's savings groups in Karatu District, Northern Tanzania. To contribute to a better understanding of the attitudes, behaviors and social factors related to intimate partner violence through the exploration of cultural gender norms in Karatu District, Northern Tanzania.

Enrollment: 900 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Married women, aged 18 and older, who live in Karatu District in Northern Tanzania with their male partners, who participate in the LIMCA program, are willing to participate, and provide informed consent.
• Male partners of women LIMCA members named above, aged 18 and older who live in Karatu District in Northern Tanzania, are willing to participate, and provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Women who are not partnered, who do not live in the study catchment area, who do not participate in the LIMCA program, and who do not provide informed consent
• Men who are not married or partnered, who do not live in the study catchment area; whose wives/partners do not participate in the LIMCA program, and who do not provide informed consent.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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900 participants in 2 patient groups

Arm 1 Male Peer Groups (MPG)

Experimental group

Description:

Women participate in savings groups and male partners participate in male peer group workshops on gender norms, IPV and HIV prevention. This intervention aims to improve knowledge and attitudes about the harms of IPV on women, men and children; the confidence to internalize positive masculine ideals (e.g. caring for one's family) and to challenge gender stereotypes (e.g. women are not equal to men); and the ability to formulate positive outcome expectations regarding IPV (intolerance of violence perpetrated by themselves or others) and healthy relationships with their spouses and communities.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Male Peer Groups

Arm 2 MPG & Community Dialogues

Experimental group

Description:

This arm will include women participants in savings groups, male peer groups and community dialogues. Village community leaders will engage in community dialogues on gender norms, IPV and HIV prevention.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Male Peer Groups and Community Dialogues