Drought, Extreme Heat, and Intimate Partner Violence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Are drought conditions or drought with extreme heat conditions associated with an increased risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) in low- and middle-income countries?In this cross-sectional study using global survey data for 494 471 women, 12-month drought was associated with an estimated 7% increase in IPV risk. We found a negative and significant interaction between drought and extreme heat.These findings underscore the major global health implications of pressing climate change–related threats to women’s health, and thus the urgency to implement actionable interventions and climate adaptation measures to achieve gender equality.

Corresponding Author: Pin Wang, PhD, School of Public Health Building, 4200 Valley Dr, College Park, MD 20742 (pinwang@umd.edu).

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