Associations between maternal and child health: evidence from an Australian cohort experiencing psychosocial and socioeconomic adversity.

Social adversity is linked to poor maternal and early childhood outcomes. However, limited evidence exists regarding the associations between mothers' and children's health outcomes in early childhood in adversity, particularly within well-established health systems. This study examines the association between mothers' and their children's health during the first 5 years in an Australian cohort facing psychosocial and socioeconomic adversity. The study population consisted of children under five and their mothers. Using a longitudinal panel dataset, a mixed-effects logistic regression model was applied to explore the association between maternal health (exposure) and child health (outcome) across five time points, adjusting for explanatory variables. The children's very good/excellent health was associated with the mother's very good/excellent health, the mother's age at childbirth, and being the firstborn. Conversely, poor/fair/good health in children was associated with immigrant parents, premature birth, frequent GP visits, and living in a disadvantaged area.

conclusionDespite the efforts of well-established health systems, poor child health remains connected to social adversities during the first 5 years. This indicates that current efforts are insufficient for mothers and children facing adversity. Further research and policy actions are essential to address poor maternal and child health outcomes in vulnerable communities to reduce early childhood disparities and support children's full potential in early childhood and beyond. WHAT IS KNOWN: • The first 5 years of the child's life lay the foundation for future years and evidence shows an association between maternal health and children's health during early childhood. • However, no evidence has been found to support this association in populations experiencing adversity within well-established healthcare systems. WHAT IS NEW: • Maternal health is a primary determinant of a child's health during the first 5 years in psychosocial and socioeconomic adversity. When experiencing adversity, better child health during the first 5 years was strongly associated with good maternal health, older maternal age at childbirth, and being the firstborn. • In contexts of adversity, poor child health during the first 5 years was strongly associated with having immigrant parents, premature birth, residing in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and experiencing frequent general practice visits.