Is there a relationship between childhood exposure to domestic violence and abuse and mental health outcomes? An examination of evidence from 10 low- and middle-income countries

Harris, Rebecca Jane (2024) Is there a relationship between childhood exposure to domestic violence and abuse and mental health outcomes? An examination of evidence from 10 low- and middle-income countries. British Society for Population Studies, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom. 09 - 11 Sep 2024.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Other)

Abstract

Background: evidence from high income countries indicates that children exposed to domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are at an increased risk of adverse mental health in later life. Evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited, despite high estimates of the level of childhood exposure.

Aims: this study aims to address the lack of evidence through the research question: how does childhood exposure to DVA relate to mental health outcomes during adolescence and early adulthood within LMICs?

Methods: the CDC Violence Against Children Surveys were used to identify childhood exposure to DVA in 10 LMICs across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South-Eastern Asia, and Eastern Europe. Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were used to explore the relationship between a range of mental health outcomes and DVA exposure, focussing on internalising and externalising mental health symptoms.

Results: exposure to DVA ranged from 11.8% in Honduras to 30.7% in Malawi. Bivariate analysis revealed a higher prevalence of internalising and externalising symptoms amongst those exposed to DVA as a child when compared to those who were not. Regression analysis found that in all ten countries, those who had been exposed to DVA had a higher likelihood of experiencing psychological distress than those without childhood exposure. In most countries, there was an association between childhood exposure with having ever experienced suicidal thoughts, engaged in risky behaviours, perpetrated DVA, and perpetrated non-partnered violence.

Conclusion: there is clear evidence that childhood exposure is associated with poor mental health outcomes in LMICs.

This record has no associated files available for download.