Street youths: reproductive health risk status, reproductive health challenges and barriers to health services utilization in a southwestern City, Nigeria

Background Information: According to the United Nations, about 150 million youth spent most of their time on the street, or better still, homeless. This is becoming a global phenomenon and majority of this vulnerable people live in large cities and urban areas of developing countries. Street youths are among the high risk, insecure and vulnerable groups who are often exposed to various forms of abuses and diseases, including reproductive health issues. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among street youths in Ikorodu Local Government, Lagos State using a multi staged sampling technique. Frequency tables were drawn at the univariate level, chi squared was used to test for association between socio-demographic characteristics and sexual risk level. Data was analyzed using SPPSS version 22, p value was set at 0.05 Results: Almost half 48(48.5%) of the respondents were between the age range 20-24years and two third 61(61.6%) of them were female and 27(27.3%) had up to senior secondary education attainments. Majority 73(73.7%) of them have been on the street for more than 3months and 32 (32.3%) professed that the reason they were on the street was to search for job while 25 (25.3%) because of family disharmony among parents. Eighty-six (86.9%) of the respondents were sexually active, 31 (36.0%) of which have more than four sexual partners. Duration of stay on the street and their educational status were determinants of risky sexual behavior and polygamous setting was found to be statistically significant (p value =0.035) with reproductive health challenges. Conclusion: There is high risk sexual practice among street youths in Ikorodu Local Government. Strategic interventions aimed at minimizing sexual risky behaviors among street youths should focus on reducing the duration of stay on the street as well as increasing access to contraception

HIV prevalence in young people and children living on the streets, Kenya

Objective To obtain an estimate of the size of, and human immunodeficiency (HIV) prevalence among, young people and children living on the streets of Eldoret, Kenya. Methods We counted young people and children using a point-in-time approach, ensuring we reached our target population by engaging relevant community leaders during the planning of the study. We acquired point-in-time count data over a period of 1 week betweethe hours of 08:00 and 23:00, from both a stationary site and by mobile teams. Participants provided demographic data and a finger print(to avoid double-counting) and were encouraged to speak with an HIV counsellor and undergo HIV testing. We used a logistic regression (model to test for an association between age or sex and uptake of HIV testing and seropositivity. Findings Of the 1419 eligible participants counted, 1049 (73.9%) were male with a median age of 18 years. Of the 1029 who spoke with a counsellor, 1004 individuals accepted HIV counselling and 947 agreed to undergo an HIV test. Combining those who were already aware of their HIV-positive status with those who were tested during our study resulted in an overall HIV seroprevalence of 4.1%. The seroprevalence was 2.7% (19/698) for males and 8.9% (23/259) for females. We observed an increase in seroprevalence with increasing age for both sexes, but of much greater magnitude for females. Conclusion By counting young people and children living on the streets and offering them HIV counselling and testing, we could obtain population-based estimates of HIV prevalence

Psychosocial conditions and resilience status of street children in Jimma Town

BACKGROUND: Traditional research and practices focused on an investigation of risk factors to handle psychosocial problems street children faced while surviving on the street. However, more recently, attention has been given to how knowledge can be developed in the area to devise interventions that reflect the promotion of resilience as a means of achieving positive outcomes for the children. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychosocial conditions and resilience status of street children in Jimma Town. METHODS: Explanatory sequential research design was employed. Out of 246 teenager street children, 137 were selected using simple random sampling. Questionnaire, interview guide and FGD probes were used in data collection. Mean and standard deviation, multiple regression analysis and Man Whitney U T-test were used to analyze quantitative data; while discourse analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. RESULTS: The result of multiple regression analysis indicated that anxiety significantly predicted resilience status, b=.623, t (109)=8.418, p˂.001. Anxiety also explained a significant proportion of the variance in resilience status, R2=.388, F (112) = 70.86, p ˂.001. Further, the result revealed that street children had slow growing resilience status in which boys were more resilient than girls. CONCLUSION: Street children in Jimma Town faced various psychosocial challenges and had low resilience status. Thus, Jimma Town Women and Children Affairs Office ought to work to build resilience status of street children, in collaboration with different stakeholders in and around the town

Pattern and Practice of Psychoactive Substance Abuse and Risky Behaviours among Street Children in Cameroon

Background. Cameroon is among other developing countries reported to be facing an increasing problem of street children involved in drug abuse and other harmful behaviours. Although there are some government efforts to intervene; little is known about the extent of psychoactive substance abuse and the related behaviours among street children in Cameroon. The information is critical to support policy formulation and the implementation of interventions to tackle this problem.Objective. To document the pattern and practice of psychoactive substance abuse and the related risky behaviours among street children in three cities in Cameroon.Methods. This study was an analytical cross-sectional survey conducted by the administration of questionnaires to 399 street children who had been homeless for at least a month in three cities of Cameroon during 2015.Results. All 399 participants reported that they were using some psychoactive substance at the time of the survey. The preferred substances were alcohol (45.9%); tobacco (28.8%); volatiles (11.5%) and cannabis (10.3%). Girls were more predisposed to sex work for survival than boys (p0.000); with the majority of the participants reporting to have had unprotected sex after using any drug or consuming alcohol (93.98%). In most cases; the pattern and practice of psychoactive substance abuse were higher in the cities of Douala and Yaounde than in Bamenda. The participants reported that the substances were readily available from street vendors.Conclusion. The results revealed that the level of psychoactive substance abuse is very high among street children; especially boys; in all three cities. Efforts to prevent and rehabilitate street children from abusing psychoactive substances are required. The government; roleplayers; decision-makers; the ministry of trade and industry and all stakeholders

Street Children's Vulnerability to HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Malawian Cities

"Background: Street children have largely been ignored in the fight against HIV and AIDS. While some initiatives exist; the nature of street life; probably has not allowed viable interventions to be implemented. However; this is a group of people that could qualify as a ""most at risk"" group. This study set out to explore street children's vulnerability to sexual exploitation in the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe in Malawi.Objective The objective for this study was to explore street children's vulnerability to HIV and STIs infection. Design This qualitative study employed In-depth interviews with street children in the two main cities of Malawi. A total of 23 street children were interviewed. Results The study strongly suggests that street children could be vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. This is due to various factors which include low knowledge levels of STI and HIV; high risk sexual practices; lack of safer place to spend their nights for both boys and girls rendering them vulnerable to sexual abuses and the use of sex as a tool to secure protection and to be accepted especially for the newcomers on the street. Conclusions This study highlights street children's vulnerability to sexual exploitation which predisposes them to risk of HIV and AIDS as well as Sexually Transmitted infections. Furthermore; the street environment offers no protection against such vulnerability. There is need to explore potential and context sensitive strategies that could be used to protect street children from sexual exploitation and HIV and AIDS infection."

A Cultural and Gender Perspective on Marginal Children on the Streets of Kenya

How to best analytically position street children in comparison to others in various social circumstances requires a robust theoretical discussion.The very concept of street children can be contested as essentialized; serving to mask social and behavioral differences; especially those between boys and girls.The limited perspective of the street child as a victim and thereby psychologically vulnerable is also contested. Cases considered here serve to illustrate that all children on the streets share a common experience of social marginality.This is experienced by them as children; as members of the powerless jua kali (hot sun) workers class; and in their isolation from cultural institutions. Some of these children however; especially girls; are vulnerable and clearly victims of harsh social circumstances. A theoretical perspective is put forth to explain a relative social marginality for women; taking into account increased social class differences and changing cultural values since 1900. Girls on the streets are therefore best understood as being at the bottom of a gendered hierarchy in Kenya. Concepts like the street child and the vulnerable child in current use as master labels serve to hide agency reported here even on the margins of Kenya's cultural; social; and gender hierarchy. An ethnographic method is put forth as a useful strategy for discovering strategies for success on the streets. To specifically evaluate gender; follow up research with adults previously described as children (1991) is combined with new material from children in Nairobi and the smaller city of Nyeri in central Kenya. A theoretical perspective from general anthropology is offered as one way to better align studies of children with broader theoretical concerns in anthropology and related disciplines

Circumventing or Superimposing Poverty on the African Child? The Almajiri Syndrome in Northern Nigeria

This paper discusses the nature and problems associated with street begging by children as it exists today in virtually all states of Northern Nigeria. It contends that this practice in the area is antithetical to human capital development because of its proclivity to deprivation and abuse of children; inducing poverty and further exacerbating underdevelopment of the North. It suggests a sincere commitment by the northern state governments to funding education; a synergy between Qur'anic schools and Universal Basic Education; endorsement and domestication of the 2003 Child's Rights Act by states of the north and the banning of itinerant scholars; migration of children and begging in the north as ways of eradicating begging among children in the region

Unrecognized Victims: Sexual Abuse against Male Street Children in Merkato Area; Addis Ababa

Background- Sexual abuse and exploitation of male children is one of the emerging social problems affecting the physical; social and psychological wellbeing of children in Addis Ababa. The magnitude of the problem seems much worse among the street boys because of their precarious living conditions. However; very little is known about the problem so far and it is apparently one of the least researched issue in the country. Objectives- This paper explores the extent of the problem and reasons that expose children to sexual abuse around Merkato area; Addis Ababa. Methods- The study employed a combination of quantitative (small scale survey) and qualitative methodology (indepth interviews; focus group discussions (FGDs) and case history interviews) involving a total of 221 children and key informants selected using convenient and snowball sampling.Findings- Quantitative data revealed that about 28.6of male street children had been abused. Physical and mental immaturity of the children; secrecy and lack of awareness; use and abuse of drugs; the nature of street life; exposure to pornographic films and limited legal enforcement were found to be major reasons which predispose street boys to the risk of sexual abuse. Conclusions- Sexual abuse against male children around Merkato area is rampant; but received less or no attention from concerned governmental and non-governmental organizations. Using child rights framework; the study suggested various preventive; protective and rehabilitative measures that should be taken to address the problem

Personality and Criminal Outcomes of Homeless Youth in a Nigerian Jail Population: Results of PDS and MAACL-H Assessments

Objective: The unprecedented incidence of armed robberies and the involvement of young people in these crimes necessitated - as part of a comprehensive study on homelessness and criminal behaviour in Nigeria - an assessmet and comparison of homeless youths incarcerated in prisons with a control group of non-prison and never-homeless youths from the general population using the Psychopathic Deviate Scale (PDS) and the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist hostility subscale (MAACL-H).Method: Through in-depth interviews using a questionnaire; data were collected from 100 randomly selected homeless inmates in three Nigerian medium-security prisons aged 15 to 26 (mean = 17.2); and another 100 non-prison and never-homeless youths from the general population aged 15 to 31 (mean = 25.2).Results: Hypothesis 1 showed a higher score on the PDS (mean = 29.3) and MAACL-H (mean = 21.7) among the homeless group than the non-prison and never homeless group (PDS mean = 21.2) and (MAACL-H = mean 12.5); (PDS (t = (98) = 6.62; p .05) and MAACL-H (t

Personality and Criminal Outcomes of Homeless Youth in a Nigerian Jail Population:Results of PDS and MAACL-H Assessments

Objective: The unprecedented incidence of armed robberies and the involvement of young people in these crimes necessitated - as part of a comprehensive study on homelessness and criminal behaviour in Nigeria - an assessmet and comparison of homeless youths incarcerated in prisons with a control group of non-prison and never-homeless youths from the general population using the Psychopathic Deviate Scale (PDS) and the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist hostility subscale (MAACL-H).Method: Through in-depth interviews using a questionnaire; data were collected from 100 randomly selected homeless inmates in three Nigerian medium-security prisons aged 15 to 26 (mean = 17.2); and another 100 non-prison and never-homeless youths from the general population aged 15 to 31 (mean = 25.2).Results: Hypothesis 1 showed a higher score on the PDS (mean = 29.3) and MAACL-H (mean = 21.7) among the homeless group than the non-prison and never homeless group (PDS mean = 21.2) and (MAACL-H = mean 12.5); (PDS (t = (98) = 6.62; p .05) and MAACL-H (t