No abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate mental and physical health of mothers exposed to recent and early postpartum intimate partner violence (IPV) in the 10 years after having their first child.DesignProspective pregnancy cohort study.SettingWomen were recruited at six metropolitan public maternity hospitals in Melbourne, Australia and followed up at 1, 4 and 10 years post partum.Study measuresExposure to physical and/or emotional IPV was measured using the Composite Abuse Scale at 1, 4 and 10 years. At 10-year follow-up, mothers reported on physical and mental health, and functional health status.Participants1507 first-time mothers enrolled at mean of 15 weeks’ gestation.ResultsOne in three women experienced IPV during the 10 years after having their first child. Women experiencing recent IPV (19.1%) reported worse physical and mental health than women not reporting IPV. Compared with women not reporting IPV, women experiencing recent IPV had higher odds of poor functional health status (Adj OR=4.5, 95% CI 3.2 to 6.3), back pain (Adj OR=2.0, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.9), incontinence (Adj OR=1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.6), depressive symptoms (Adj OR=4.9, 95% CI 3.2 to 7.5), anxiety (Adj OR=5.1, 95% CI 3.0 to 8.6) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (Adj OR=7.2, 95% CI 4.6 to 11.1) at 10 years. Women with past IPV at 1 and/or 4 years (15.7% of the cohort) also had higher odds of physical and mental health problems. There was evidence of a gradient in health outcomes by recency of exposure to IPV.ConclusionsBoth recent and past exposure to IPV are associated with poor maternal physical and mental health 10 years after a first birth. Health services and advocacy organisations providing support to women need to be aware of the consistent relationship between IPV and a range of physical and mental health conditions, which may persist even after IPV appears to have ceased.

Background Maternal health is critical to the health and well‐being of children and families, but is rarely the primary focus of pregnancy and birth cohort studies. Globally, poor maternal health and the exposure of women and children to family violence contribute to the perpetuation and persistence of intergenerational health inequalities. Objectives The Maternal Health Study was designed to investigate the contribution of social and obstetric risk factors to common maternal physical and psychological morbidities. Over time, our focus has expanded to include mother‐child pairs and investigation of intergenerational trauma and family violence. Population A total of 1507 first‐time mothers were recruited in early pregnancy from six public hospitals in Melbourne, Australia, in 2003‐2005. Methods Women completed questionnaires or telephone interviews in early pregnancy (≤24 weeks); at 32 weeks’ gestation; at three, six, nine, 12 and 18 months postpartum; and at four and ten years. At ten years, women and children were invited to participate in face‐to‐face interviews, which included direct assessment of children's cognitive and language development. A wide range of obstetric, social and contextual factors have been measured, including exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) (1‐year, 4‐year and 10‐year follow‐up). Results 1507 eligible women were recruited at a mean gestation of 15 weeks. At one year, four years and ten years postpartum, 90.0%, 73.1% and 63.2% of the original cohort took part in follow‐up. One in three women in the study (34.5%) reported exposure to IPV in the first ten years of motherhood: 19% in the first 12 months postpartum, 20% in the year prior to four‐year follow‐up and 18.3% in the year prior to ten‐year follow‐up. Conclusion The study affords a unique opportunity to examine patterns of maternal and child health and health service use associated with exposure to IPV.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for adolescents across the world. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms and suicidal ideation in adolescents living in Melbourne, Australia, during the state of Victoria’s second lockdown. The study also sought to identify pre-existing and current psychosocial stressors associated with adolescent’s depressive and anxiety symptoms, and to identify the extent to which adolescents experiencing mental health difficulties sought professional help during the pandemic. A COVID-19 sub-study of the Mothers’ and Young People’s Study—an 18-year longitudinal cohort study—was conducted between July and September 2020, an online survey completed by 257 adolescents aged 14–17 years and their mothers, which asked about pandemic-related stressors, remote learning, family life, and mental health. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted. Mental health difficulties were common with 38% and 20% of adolescents reporting clinically significant depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively, and 21% reporting frequent suicidal or self-harm ideation. Factors associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms included being female, exposure to current maternal depressive symptoms, lower levels of resilience, experiences of loneliness, stressful life events, and school- and family-related stressors. Two-thirds of adolescents who were experiencing clinically significant depressive or anxiety symptoms had not sought professional help. Our findings highlight the urgent mental health need among adolescents and the importance of reducing barriers to accessing support.

No abstract