Abstract
Objective: To obtain baseline data on the health status and use of health services of children exposed to violence in their families.
Method: The study used data from the first cycle of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (1994/95). According to parental reports, 8.6% of children (n = 1,648; representing 329,657 children) aged 2 to 11 years witnessed some violence in their families. They were compared to children who were reported to have never witnessed any violence at home.
Findings: Children exposed to domestic violence had lower health status and more conditions or health problems which limited their participation in normal age-related activities than children in non-violent families. Despite this, they had no more contacts with family practitioners in the previous year and even fewer contacts with pediatricians than comparison children. They did, however, have more contacts with “other medical doctors,” public health nurses, child welfare workers, and other therapists than comparison children. In addition, more child witnesses regularly used prescription medication than children not exposed to violence at home.
Conclusion: These baseline findings suggest that exposure to domestic violence has an adverse impact on children’s health and use of health services. As future cycles become available, these children will be followed to determine the long-term impact on these outcomes.
Résumé
Objectif: Obtenir des données de référence sur l’état de santé des enfants exposés à violence dans leur famille et sur leur recours aux services de santé.
Méthode: Nos données provenaient du premier cycle de l’Enquête longitudinale nationale sur les enfants et les jeunes (1994–1995). Selon les indications des parents, 8,6% des enfants de 2 à 11 ans (n=1 648, représentant 329 657 enfants) auraient été témoins de violence au foyer. Nous les avons comparés aux enfants n’ayant jamais vécu d’épisodes de violence au foyer selon l’Enquête.
Constatations: Les enfants exposés à la violence au foyer avaient un moins bon état de santé et présentaient davantage de troubles ou de problèmes de santé qui limitaient leur participation aux activités normales des enfants de leur âge vivant dans des familles sans violence. Malgré cela, leurs contacts avec les médecins de famille au cours de l’année précédente n’avaient pas été plus nombreux que ceux des autres enfants, et leurs contacts avec les pédiatres, encore moins. Ils avaient cependant eu plus de contacts avec ª d’autres médecins «, des infirmiers et infirmières hygiénistes, des responsables de la protection de la jeunesse et autres thérapeutes. En outre, les enfants témoins de violence étaient plus nombreux à consommer régulièrement des médicaments sur ordonnance que les enfants non exposés à la violence au foyer.
Conclusion: Ces résultats de départ laissent entendre que l’exposition à la violence familiale a un effet défavorable sur la santé des enfants et leur recours aux services de santé. À mesure que seront publiés de nouveaux cycles de l’étude, nous suivrons ces enfants pour déterminer les incidences à long terme de ces résultats.
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