Association between Intimate Partner Violence and Nutritional Status of Children: A Systematic Review and Mata-Analysis

Introduction Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) against women is a universal problem and an important social determinant of health. Studies indicate a relationship between maternal exposure to IPV and negative pregnancy and child health outcomes. The present review is aimed at doing a comprehensive review to assess the evidence for the association of IPV with the nutritional status of children. Methodology Data on the association between IPV and nutritional outcomes were extracted from 24 studies. Separate sub-group analyses were conducted for studies measuring IPV and different nutritional measures (Stunting, Underweight, and Wasting). A random-effect model was used for analysing the effect-size and the pooled effect for each subgroup. Findings The pooled estimates of ‘any violence’ [OR=1.16 (1.08-1.25)], ‘physical violence’ [OR=1.12 (1.07-1.18)] and ‘sexual violence’ [OR=1.21 (1.03-1.43)] indicated significant relationship with nutritional status of children. The relationship was found significant for stunting and underweight, but not for wasting. Values of I 2 indicated a high level of heterogeneity across the studies on stunting and underweight. Conclusion The present review contributes to a better understanding of the nutritional outcomes for children exposed to maternal IPV. It emphasises the need to intervene for improving the well-being of these individuals as children and, subsequently, as adults.