Street children Gharbia governorate: a public health problem

ABSTRACT

The phenomena of street children is a growing one all over the world. The aim of this work was to throw light on the problem of street children in Gharbia Governorate, Egypt. A total of 377 children aged from 8 up to 17 years were included in the study, 191 of them [50.66%] were collected from different workshops in the slums of the large cities [Tanta, El Mehala El Kobra and Kafr El Zyat], 106 [28.12%] were practicing petty jobs and 80 children [22.88] were begging in the street corners and traffic stations in the three cities. The causes that enforced these children to be street children were poverty [22.02], maltreatment either at home or at school [210.40], broken families [19.36] and absence of the father [19.28]. More than one cause were present among 104 children [28.12%]. The social factors behind this phenomena recorded in this study were low educational level, unstable and unskilled work with unfixed salaries beside broken families due to either death of one or both parents or their divorce or the travel of the father abroad. The children usually spent their earned salaries to support their family income, for getting their personal and school needs and for entertainment.Regarding the school attendance, the study showed that only 92 children [24.4%] still attended the school regularly and 173 of them [45.89%] never attended schools, while 112 children [29.71%] have dropped out of schools due to either poverty, failure at school, maltreatment, poor control over the children and peer pressure. Abnormal behaviors recorded among the studied children were begging and stealing among 40.05% and 27.56% respectively. Aggressive behaviors against others were reported among 28.12% of them. 313 [83.02%] were smokers, addiction and drug abuse were a problem among nearly about one fifth of them [22.12%].Regarding the health status of those children, 60.73% of them were suffering from underweight and malnutrition. Signs of physical maltreatment were recorded among 24.61% of the examined children. In conclusion, the problem of street children is a growing problem that need more attention and more medical and social care should be made available for this vulnerable group in the community