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Description
Introduction: Countries in the Central African region have the highest prevalence rates of Intimate partner violence (IPV) in sub-Saharan Africa. Not only do the high IPV prevalence rates point to a critical public health concern but there are strong links of IPV to maternal depression, both of which carry profound implications for child development. IPV and maternal depression can severely impede children's growth across multiple dimensions—including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional aspects—as well as their nutritional outcomes. This study assesses the individual and combined effects of young mothers’ tolerance of IPV and depressive symptoms on child development in four countries in Central Africa (Central Africa Republic, Chad, Congo, Congo and Sao Tome).
Methods: The study utilised data collected as part of the 6th round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in the Central Africa Republic, Chad, Congo and Sao Tome. The analysis included a sample of 3,924 pairs of young mothers and their children aged 3 to 4 years. The individual domains of the Early Childhood Developmental Index (ECDI) and nutritional indices including wasting, stunting and underweight were outcome variables. Maternal depressive symptoms and attitude towards intimate partner violence were explanatory variables. To assess the association between maternal depressive symptoms, attitude to intimate partner violence and child developmental outcomes, logistic regression was conducted while adjusting for weights, clustering and identified covariates. The interaction of the mother’s depression and their attitude towards IPV on child development was examined using marginal effects modelling
Preliminary results: Approximately 76.83% children fell below norms for development, as measured by the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) and nutritional indices. The prevalence of maternal tolerance to intimate partner violence (IPV) was 73.2%, while the prevalence of maternal depression was 70%. Tolerance to IPV was significantly associated with stunting (χ² = 4.26, p = 0.03), physical development (χ² = 9.78, p < 0.01), and social/emotional development (χ² = 9.78, p < 0.01). Meanwhile, maternal depression was significantly associated with wasting (χ² = 9.75, p < 0.01), stunting (χ² = 16.23, p < 0.001), underweight (χ² = 3.91, p < 0.01), and literacy development (χ² = 4.78, p = 0.02).
Conclusion: Results reveal that 7 out of 10 children born to young mothers in central Africa are below developmental norms. Findings also reveal an association between maternal tolerance of IPV, depression and child development. Targeted public health interventions to increase awareness about the effects of IPV and promote well being can help improve the development of children in Central Africa.
Key words: Child development, tolerance to intimate Partner violence, depression, interaction effects, Central Africa
