Australian research reveals impact of partner violence on child health

Sydney, Oct 2 (IANS) The children of mothers who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are more likely to suffer from poor health outcomes, Australian research has found.

In a new study, a team of researchers led by the Menzies School of Health Research at Charles Darwin University (CDU) revealed the impact of IPV on child health, Xinhua news agency reported.

They found that children younger than five years whose mothers experienced IPV were more likely to develop acute respiratory infection, diarrhoea and be under-nourished.

The risk of poor health outcomes was much higher among children whose mothers experienced multiple types of violence, the research found.

Researchers from institutions including CDU, the University of Sydney, the Australian National University and the University of Queensland examined data from 238,060 children younger than five living across 37 sub-Saharan African countries.

It was the first study to comprehensively analyse the link between a mother's experience of physical, emotional and sexual violence and co-occurrence and the subsequent effect on their child's health.

"Research into the impact of exposure to violence on children's health and development is essential for understanding possibilities for prevention," Gary Robinson, director of the Menzies School of Health Research Center for Child Development and Education, said in a media release on Tuesday.

The research said that sub-Saharan African countries need to prioritise the development and implementation of strategies encompassing IPV preventive measures and support for affected families.

"Countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region, including Chad, Comoros, Gabon, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Burundi, South Africa, and Liberia, merit specific attention due to heightened risks of adverse childhood outcomes associated with IPV," the study said.

A multidisciplinary approach that integrates health care, social services and legal frameworks is paramount to mitigate the wider impact of IPV, the research said.

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