ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AND IPV

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CHAPTER 3 Research design and methodology

INTRODUCTION

This chapter describes the research design and methodology used in the study. This includes the population, sampling, data collection and analysis; measures for ensuring validity, reliability, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability of the results, and ethical considerations.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study was to deepen understanding of the occurrence of IPV and the experiences and health needs among women aged 20-45 in Kabalagala urban slums in Kampala, Uganda and contribute to designing practical interventions to reduce IPV. In order to achieve the objectives, the study answered the following research questions:

• What are the prevalent forms of IPV among women in this study setting?
• What are the IPV experiences of women in the Kabalagala urban slums in Kampala?
• How does the IPV experience influence women’s health needs?
• What factors influence women’s experiences and responses to IPV?
• What practical interventions can be used to reduce IPV?

 RESEARCH DESIGN

A research design is an overall plan for obtaining answers to research questions and the “skeletal backbone of the study” (Polit & Beck 2013:72). According to Burns and Grove (2007:236), a research design is the blueprint for conducting a study that maximises control over factors that could interfere with the credibility of the findings and gives greater control and improves the trustworthiness of a study. The research design guides the researcher to answer the uncertainties associated with the study (De Vaus 2001:9). The research problem determines whether a quantitative or qualitative approach should be used (Babbie & Mouton 2001:271). The approach to the study informs the design which, in turn, determines the type of information to be collected and the data-gathering instruments to be used (Babbie & Mouton 2001:271).
The study was a cross-sectional sequential explanatory study employing quantitative and qualitative methods (Creswell 2013:234; Kettle, Creswell & Zhang 2011:538). The sequential explanatory research design involved quantitative and qualitative data collection in phases and enabled the researcher to answer the research questions, generate new ideas and increase understanding of women’s experiences of IPV (Leech, Onwuegbuzie & Combs 2011:13; Wisdom, Cavaleri, Onwuegbuzie & Green 2012:723). This involved three phases, namely quantitative, qualitative and strategy formulation (Wisdom, Cavaleri, Onwuegbuzie & Green 2012:723).

Quantitative phase

A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 372 randomly sampled women aged 20-45 years to identify the nature and prevalence of IPV and modifying factors in this context. This involved observation, description, examining relationships among variables and documentation of the participants without applying an intervention (Burns & Grove 2005:71; Polit & Beck 2006:189; Creswell 2013:234). The descriptive study aimed to depict the actual characteristics and circumstances of the women. The underlying goal of this portrayal was to identify problems, understand and determine actions. This type of study does not establish causality but can generate insights into the study phenomenon. In this study design data was obtained from a cross-sectional sample and data was collected over a single data-collection period (Polit Beck 2006: 239). The survey enabled the researcher to determine the frequency of event occurrence (Burns & Grove 2005:26).

Qualitative phase

Since IPV usually occurs in the private sphere, understanding these experiences relies heavily on the subjective meaning that the participants attach to it and can therefore not be quantified (Testa, Livingston & VanZile-Tamsen 2011:237). The qualitative study employed purposive sampling to enable the researcher to obtain data-rich experiences of IPV from the participants (Green & Thorogood 2009:118; Terre Blanche & Durrheim 2002:44). The researcher used a grand tour question, “What are your experiences of intimate partner violence and how has this affected you?”, and probing questions in order to enable participants to share their experiences in detail (Testa, Livingston & VanZile-Tamsen 2011:242; Green & Thorogood 2009:80). The researcher explored the participants’ experiences, perceived influences of IPV, causes, impacts and responses.
The qualitative approach enhanced the rigour of the study results (Creswell 2013:4) and ensured that the methods were mutually informative (Woolley 2009:7). The merit of using mixed methods was that it complemented the existing quantitative data and allowed for generation of new evidence (Creswell 2013:4). In this study the use of the qualitative method increased understanding of perceptions of VAW and substantiation in the natural setting without manipulation and generated theories from the participants’ perspective (Testa, Livingston & VanZile-Tamsen 2011:237; Wisdom, Cavaleri, Onwuegbuzie & Green 2012:723). The researcher obtained rich descriptions and explanations of participants’ IPV experiences (Swift & Tischler 2010:562) using a qualitative method which acknowledged the existence of multiple realities (Lincoln & Guba 1985:294). The qualitative method provided greater insight into the nature of IPV experiences, their causes, the context, effects on women’s health and coping strategies (Testa, Livingston & VanZile-Tamsen 2011:239).

Strategy formulation phase

The last phase developed strategies to address IPV based on the findings as a contribution to the body of IPV interventions. The findings were used to make recommendations for the implementation of IPV prevention programmes.
The researcher collected and analysed quantitative data to gain a general understanding of the nature and prevalence of IPV and the modifying factors among the participants. In this study, the quantitative and qualitative aspects were of equal importance to the researcher and this was reflected in the study questions, data collection, analysis and interpretation. The qualitative phase enabled the researcher to elaborate on the quantitative results and explore the participants’ views in greater depth (Creswell 20013:9; Kettle, Creswell & Zhang 2011:538). The quantitative and qualitative phases were connected in the study’s intermediate stage. Figure 3.1 illustrates the sequential explanatory research design.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research methods address the development, validation and evaluation of research tools and methods to be used to collect and analyse the information obtained during the study (Polit & Beck 2008:328). Burns and Grove (2001:223) describe research methodology as the “entire plan of the study” which includes the steps of the research process from problem identification to data collection.
The researcher followed a mixed methods approach in order to obtain a thorough understanding of IPV. The quantitative survey described the extent of the IPV problem while the qualitative interviews provided more details about the IPV experiences thus substantiating the quantitative findings. The research methodology included the population, sample and sampling, and data collection and analysis.

Population

A research population refers to all the elements from which data can be potentially collected, and could be “units, individuals, organisations, events or artifacts” (Polit & Beck 2008:339). The target population in this study consisted of women aged 20 to 45 living in Kamwanyi and Kikubamutwe slums in the Kabalagala area in Kampala, Uganda. The total size of the population was not known but was estimated at 2 500. Hence the sample frame was an estimated 2 500 women in the 20 to 45 years age group living in the two slums. This age group was selected because according to UDHS (2012:239), these women are at greatest risk of violence (55%-59%). This is also the age range where they are most likely to be in intimate partner relationships thus increasing vulnerability (Tjaden and Thoennes, 1998:2). Participants with rich IPV experiences were identified through a community agency that runs a non-paying clinic that treats vulnerable children and assists women reporting health problems due to IPV.
The accessible population refers to the portion of the entire population to which the researcher has access (Polit & Beck 2008:339). In the quantitative study, the accessible population was women aged 20 to 45 years from the two slums. The researcher used simple random sampling to select participants until a desirable sample size was reached (Creswell 2013:233). Random sampling ensured that all women in the study population had an equal chance of being selected to participate in the study. Households were selected randomly and in cases with more than one eligible woman in the household, the researcher assigned numbers to all the eligible women and randomly selected one to participate. The use of a random sample meant that findings could be generalised to the population of women aged 20 to 45 years living in urban slums in Uganda (Creswell 2013:233). To be included in the study, the women had to give consent to participate. Women were excluded from the study if participating posed a threat in terms of violence from their partners.

Sample and sampling

A study sample is a subset of elements that is a representative of the entire population (Polit & Beck 2008:338). Sampling refers to the practice of selecting a proportion of the population in order to describe and analyse the characteristics of the phenomenon under study (Polit & Beck 2008:339).

Site sampling

The site target population refers to all the eligible cases that could potentially participate in the study and from which the researcher accesses the study participants known as the accessible population (Burns & Grove 2005:341; Polit & Beck 2006:511). The site target population was the slums in Kampala and purposive sampling was used to select the Kamwanyi and Kikubamutwe slums.
The area comprises low income residents from various cultural backgrounds and is two kilometres from Kampala City centre. These slums have an estimated population of over 10,000 based on the municipal data. Residents live in makeshift homes made of mud and pole and some of brick. Most of the people are engaged in petty trades, such as hawking, and some work as unskilled casual labourers. Kabalagala is popular for its bars and commercial sex work is common among young women.

Participant sampling

It is not always possible for researchers to study the entire population due to economic, time and other constraints (Burns & Grove 2005:351). A sample of the population is then chosen to represent the population (Polit & Hungler 2004:289). Hence, in cases where the sample size is representative, findings are generalised to the accessible population and then to other populations with similar context and characteristics (Polit & Beck 2006:260).
A sample is considered representative if it has the same characteristics as the target population. The researcher used simple random sampling to select participants until the desirable sample size was reached (Creswell 2013:233). Random sampling ensured that all women in the population had an equal chance of being selected to participate. Households were selected randomly and in cases with more than one eligible woman in a household, the researcher assigned numbers to all the eligible women and randomly selected one to participate in the study. The use of a random sample meant that findings could be generalised to the population of women aged 20 to 45 years living in urban slums in Uganda (Creswell 2013:233).

CHAPTER 1 Orientation to the study.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.3 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.4 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.5 AIM OF THE STUDY
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1.7 THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE STUDY
1.8 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
1.9 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.10 STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY
1.11 DEFINITIONS OF CONCEPTS
1.12 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 2 Literature review
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 PURPOSE OF A LITERATURE REVIEW
2.3 UNDERSTANDING VIOLENCE
2.4 IVP AS A HEALTH ISSUE
2.5 SOCIETAL/SOCIAL EFFECTS OF IPV
2.6 FACTORS AFFECTING IPV: A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.7 IPV THEORIES
2.8 IPV STUDIES IN UGANDA
2.9 STRATEGIES TO PREVENT AND REDUCE IPV
2.10 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3 Research design and methodology
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.5 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
3.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4 Quantitative data analysis and interpretation, and results
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 QUANTITATIVE DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS
4.3 RESEARCH RESULTS
4.4 ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AND IPV
4.5 OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH FINDINGS
4.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5 Qualitative data analysis and interpretation, and results 
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 QUALITATIVE DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS
5.3 RESEARCH RESULTS
5.4 OVERVIEW OF THE QUALITATIVE RESULTS
5.5 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 6 Integrated quantitative and qualitative results 
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 MIXED METHODS APPROACH
6.3 MIXED-METHOD DATA ANALYSIS
6.4 PROCESS OF INTEGRATION
6.5 KEY FINDINGS
6.6 THE INTEGRATED ECOLOGICALLY NESTED MODEL REVISITED
6.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY.
CHAPTER 7 Conclusions and recommendations
7.1 CONCLUSIONS
7.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND FUTURE RESEARCH.5
7.3 CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY
LIST OF REFERENCES 
ANNEXURES 
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EXPERIENCES OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND THE HEALTH NEEDS OF WOMEN LIVING IN URBAN SLUMS IN KAMPALA, UGANDA