Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42579661›Full record

Trial reportPloS one2026

Determinants of unmet social needs and the role of parental mental health in families from multicultural and regional/rural communities of Australia.

James John, Teresa Winata, Si Wang, Melissa Smead, Weng Tong Wu, Jane Kohlhoff, Virginia Schmied, Bin Jalaludin, Kenny Lawson, Siaw-Teng Liaw and 15 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

25 authors.

James JohnSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8720-8300
Teresa WinataSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Si WangResearch and Evaluation Group, The Salvation Army, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Melissa SmeadMurrumbidgee Local Health District, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.
Weng Tong WuSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8483-739X
Jane KohlhoffSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Virginia SchmiedSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Bin JalaludinSouth Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Kenny LawsonSchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Siaw-Teng LiawWHO Collaborating Centre for eHealth, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.
Raghu LingamPopulation Child Health Research Group, School of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.
Andrew PageSchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Christa Lam-CassettariSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6167-551X
Katherine BoydellBlack Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia.
Ping-I LinSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Ilan KatzSocial Policy Research Centre, Faculty of Arts, Design, and Architecture, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.
Ann DadichSchool of Business, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Shanti RamanSouth Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Rebekah GraceTransforming early Education and Child Health Research Centre, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Aunty Kerrie DoyleSchool of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Tom McCleanUniting, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Blaise Di MentoSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
John PreddyMurrumbidgee Local Health District, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.
Susan WoolfendenSydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Valsamma EapenSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6296-8306

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFamilies from disadvantaged communities often experience social care needs that adversely impact access to social and healthcare services. This study aimed to explore the determinants of social care needs and the associated clinical characteristics such as parental mental health among families from multicultural and regional/rural communities of Australia.

methodsThis study is a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial conducted among parents/carers of children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities of South Western Sydney and rural/regional communities of Murrumbidgee. The primary outcome of unmet social care needs was measured using the WE CARE survey. As the data were overdispersed (variance-to-mean ratio = 2.06), multivariable and generalised estimating equations (GEE) negative binomial regression models were applied to examine factors associated with unmet needs, with unmet needs treated as count outcomes.

resultsOf the sample of 288 participants, 61% (n = 176) reported one or more unmet needs. Findings of the multivariable negative binomial regression analyses showed that clinical indicators such as parental mental distress (AIRR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04, 1.07) and child developmental concerns (AIRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.12, 1.45) alongside other sociodemographic factors such as CALD status (AIRR 1.63, 95% CI 1.13, 2.35), lower levels parental education (AIRR 2.25, 95% CI 1.62, 3.15), and marital status - De facto/single/divorced (AIRR 1.42, 95% CI 1.06, 1.89) were associated with higher rate of unmet needs at baseline. Additionally, findings of the GEE negative binomial model were largely consistent with the multivariable analyses and further demonstrated that families in the intervention group had a significantly lower rate of unmet needs over time compared with the control group (AIRR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60, 0.95).

conclusionThe study highlights the significant burden of unmet social needs among families from multicultural and rural/regional communities, emphasising the role of parental mental health and education levels as key contributing factors amongst other sociodemographic factors. Findings suggest the need for integrated, family-centred interventions that address both social and healthcare needs, particularly for vulnerable populations.

trial registrationThis trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (registration number: ACTRN12621000766819).

Indexed as

Health Services Needs and DemandMental HealthParentsAdultAustraliaChildCultural DiversityFemaleHumansMaleRural Population

Identifiers

PMID42579661
PMCPMC13460624

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.