Correlates and spatial distribution of marital dissolution in Ghana

Albeit a global phenomenon, the socio-spatial determinants of marital dissolution are local. This study examined the socio-demographic correlates and spatial distribution of women’s marital dissolution in Ghana. Using data on 6032 ever-married women aged 15–49 years from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, we employed logistic regression and Getis-Ord spatial clustering analyses. Results showed a divorce rate of about 12%. Per logistic regression analyses, older women and those with primary education compared to no education were more likely to be divorced. Marital age and parity correlated negatively with likelihood of divorce. Pre-marital childbirth is associated with a higher likelihood of marital dissolution. Rural women and those employed in agriculture were less likely to have marital dissolution. Compared with their poor counterparts, rich women were less likely to experience marital dissolution. Women in Islam were less likely than Orthodox Christian women to currently have a marital dissolution. Spatial analyses revealed sparse distribution of marital dissolution in northern Ghana with concentrated hotspots in the south, particularly in Greater Accra Region. The implications for policy interventions and future studies are discussed.