Association Between Unmet Needs in Health Care and Social Services and Exposure to Violence Among Parents

Abstract

Objective: Existing research has shown that parental exposure to violence has negative consequences on health outcomes, but the effect of such exposure on unmet health care and social service need is unknown. This study aims to investigate the association between unmet health care and social services and parental violence exposure among parents with children. Study Design: This study used the data of 6289 parents aged 18–60 years who had at least one child under 18 years living in the same household. Parental violence exposure was measured. Unmet child and adult health care and social service need was operationalized through questions on the services needed, those that had not been received, and those that were considered inadequate. Results: Parents who experienced any kind of violence had more unmet service need. There were more women among parents with violence experience (65.4%) than those with no violence experience (51.9%). Violence experience increased the odds of unmet need for general adult healthcare services (OR 2.02, CI 1.64–2.57), maternity and child health clinics (OR 2.52, CI 2.00–3.18), family guidance clinics and home help (OR 2.38, CI 1.60–3.54), mental health or child welfare services (OR 2.05, CI 1.52–2.75), and school health care (OR 1.99, 1.50–2.65). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, the associations between exposure to violence experience and unmet needs for healthcare and social services remained statistically significant. Conclusion: Violence in close relationships profoundly impacts health and well-being. By addressing unmet health care needs and supporting parents, we can break the cycle of violence and promote better mental health outcomes. Preventive policies and early interventions are essential to mitigate the consequences of violence in families.