Abstract
Objective
The relationship between maternal health and health outcome of offspring has been studied extensively. However, measures such as family resilience in the context of maternal health are not well understood. The objective of this study was to determine if overall maternal health status is associated with family resilience.
Methods
Using the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationally representative survey of parents/guardians of children ages 0–17, we evaluated the association of overall maternal health status with measures of family resilience. The analysis was performed using descriptive and multivariable analyses. The study adjusted for current health insurance status, family structure of child’s household, income level, highest education of adult in household, child race, primary household language, children with special health care needs, emotional support, neighborhood support, parental aggravation, and adverse childhood experiences.
Results
Compared to mothers who reported their physical health to be good, mothers who had a very good/excellent physical health status reported significantly higher adjusted rates for family resilience measures [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.741, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (0.640, 0.859); p < 0.001]. Results suggested also that mothers whose mental health was very good/excellent were more likely to exhibit greater family resilience as compared to those that were good [(AOR) 0.452, 95% (CI) (0.390, 0.525); p < 0.001] or poor/fair [(AOR) 0.283, 95% (CI) (0.223, 0.360); p < 0.001].
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that maternal mental and physical health may contribute to how families respond to adversity. Our findings highlight the importance of evaluating interventions that target both physical and mental aspects of maternal health status to better the resilience of the family unit. In the healthcare setting, maternal health services should ensure early detection and prevention of chronic conditions beyond obstetric care and detection and treatment of mental health.
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Dr. Sitara Soundararajan conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript.
Dr. Jagannath carried out the initial data analysis and reviewed and revised the manuscript.
Dr. Aysola conceptualized and designed the study, coordinated, supervised data analysis, and critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content.
All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
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Table of Contents Summary
Using the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, this study highlights the association between maternal mental/physical health and response to adversity in US households.
What’s Known on this Subject
Family resilience is a newly emerging topic that has been studied in the context of racial-minority families, military families, and inner-city families. Higher levels of family resilience have been associated with child flourishing and lower levels of bullying among children.
What this Study Adds
There are currently no studies that have assessed how overall maternal health may influence the family unit’s ability to adapt in situations of adversity on a national scale.
Prior Presentations
A poster abstract of this study was presented at the American Federation for Medical Research Eastern Regional Meeting (ERM) on March 30, 2019, the American College of Physicians (ACP) Internal Medicine Meeting on April 13, 2019, and the Society of General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting on May 10, 2019.
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Soundararajan, S., Jagannath, S. & Aysola, J. Association Between Maternal Health Status and Family Resilience: Results from a National Survey. Matern Child Health J 27, 307–317 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-022-03569-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-022-03569-1