TABLE 3—
Intervention Impacts on Economic Well-Being, Women’s Empowerment, and Intimate Partner Violence: Intervention With Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity Study, Limpopo Province, South Africa, September 2001 to March 2005
| Baseline | Follow-Up | |||||
| Intervention, No./Total (%) | Control, No./Total (%) | Intervention, No./Total (%) | Control, No./Total (%) | Unadjusted RR (95% CI) | Adjusted RRa (95% CI) | |
| Economic well-being | ||||||
| Estimated household asset value > 2000 rand | 203/421 (48.2) | 183/412 (44.4%) | 223/383 (58.2) | 176/359 (49.0) | 1.18 (0.87, 1.60) | 1.15 (1.04, 1.28) |
| Expenditure on shoes and clothing > 200 rand/year | . . . | . . . | 246/377 (65.3) | 182/339 (53.7) | 1.22 (0.46, 3.23) | 1.23b (0.47, 3.20) |
| Had savings group membership | 104/425 (24.5) | 49/420 (11.7) | 140/387 (36.2) | 55/363 (15.2) | 2.13 (0.92, 4.94) | 1.84 (0.77, 4.37) |
| Empowerment | ||||||
| Individual level: power withinC | ||||||
| More self-confidence | . . . | . . . | 278/383 (72.6) | 227/358 (63.4) | 1.16 (0.83, 1.61) | 1.15b (0.83, 1.60) |
| Greater financial confidence | 193/424 (45.5) | 156/415 (37.6) | 278/386 (72.0) | 140/360 (38.9) | 2.26 (0.43, 11.91) | 2.25 (0.42, 12.10) |
| Challenging gender norms | 158/423 (37.4) | 201/418 (48.1) | 233/381 (61.2) | 154/361 (42.7) | 1.54 (0.84, 2.79) | 1.57 (0.87, 2.81) |
| Household level: power to | ||||||
| Autonomy in decisionmaking | 52/188 (27.7) | 57/176 (32.4) | 105/184 (57.1) | 55/149 (36.9) | 1.70 (0.72, 4.01) | 1.64d (0.85, 3.17) |
| Perceived contribution to household valued by partner | 105/186 (56.5) | 62/175 (35.4) | 121/185 (65.4) | 56/146 (38.4) | 1.70 (1.12, 2.58) | 1.55d (0.96, 2.50) |
| Household communication regarding sexual matters in the past year | . . . | . . . | 331/383 (86.4) | 197/361 (54.6) | 1.60 (1.25, 2.05) | 1.58b (1.21, 2.07) |
| Supportive partner relationship | 135/193 (70.0) | 117/178 (65.7) | 212/290 (73.1) | 151/248 (60.9) | 1.21 (0.81, 1.80) | 1.22d (0.61, 2.53) |
| Community level: power with | ||||||
| Greater social group membership | 112/422 (26.6) | 53/416 (12.7) | 275/386 (71.2) | 133/363 (36.6) | 1.96 (1.02, 3.78) | 1.85 (0.95, 3.61) |
| Takes part in collective action | 167/407 (41.0) | 146/403 (36.2) | 290/383 (75.7) | 124/361 (34.4) | 2.22 (1.05, 4.70) | 2.06 (0.92, 4.49) |
| Intimate partner violence | ||||||
| Experience of past year IPVa | 22/193 (11.4) | 16/177 (9.0) | 17/290 (5.9) | 30/248 (12.1) | 0.50 (0.28, 0.89) | 0.45e (0.23, 0.91) |
| Progressive attitudes to IPV | . . . | . . . | 200/382 (52.4) | 128/361 (35.5) | 1.50 (0.81, 2.75) | 1.49b (0.86, 2.60) |
| Experienced controlling behavior by partner | 67/193 (34.7) | 40/178 (22.5) | 95/282 (33.7) | 101/242 (41.7) | 0.78 (0.34, 1.82) | 0.80d (0.35, 1.83) |
Note. RR = relative risk; CI = confidence interval; IPV = intimate partner violence. aAdjusted RRs were calculated on the basis of expected number of events from a logistic regression model on individual data with independent variables including age, village pair, marital status, and baseline measure except where indicated.
bAdjustment for most similar baseline variable, because data was not collected at baseline.
cIn an approach to recognizing an interplay between gaining internal skills and overcoming external barriers, we drew upon a conceptual framework that included “power within” (internal qualities, such as self-confidence or critical thinking skills, that contribute to individual agency); “power to” (the creation of new opportunities without domination; factors such as the ability to make independent decisions that determine and demonstrate such agency) and “power with” (communal dimensions, such as group solidarity or collective action, which acknowledge that positive change may often be effected through individuals acting together, rather than alone).
dNo adjustment for marital status.
eAdjusted for lifetime experience of IPV by current partner at baseline.