Co-occurrence of maternal intimate partner violence and violent discipline and its associations with child morbidity in the Philippines

Abstract

Background

Violence against women and children is a global issue with profound impacts on health and well-being. Intimate partner violence (IPV) and violent discipline often coexist within households, yet the impact of their co-occurrence on child health remains understudied, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like the Philippines.

Objective

This study sought to assess the independent and joint associations of IPV and violent discipline within households on child morbidity outcomes.

Methods

Using data from 6414 mother-child pairs from the 2022 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey, logistic regression models were used to analyze the independent and joint associations between past-year maternal IPV, past-month violent child discipline and child morbidity (acute respiratory infection (ARI), fever and diarrhea in the past two weeks). Stratified analyses were performed by household wealth.

Results

About 16 % of the mothers experienced IPV in the past year, 62 % of children experienced violent discipline in the past month, and 12 % of families experienced both. In the two weeks preceding the survey, fever was the most prevalent symptom of child illness (10.5 %), followed by diarrhea (5.8 %) and ARI (1.3 %). IPV and violent discipline were independently associated with increased risks of ARI, fever, and diarrhea in children under five. Their co-occurrence further heightened the risk of child morbidity (ARI aOR: 3.5, 95 % CI 1.7–7.1, fever aOR: 2.5, 95 % CI: 1.8–3.3, and diarrhea aOR: 2.5, 95 % CI 1.8–3.5), and these associations were consistent between poor and wealthy households.

Conclusions

These findings call for comprehensive interventions, such as parenting and community-based programs that aim to address family violence, including IPV and violent discipline, to mitigate impacts on child health in LMICs.