Childcare needs of female street vendors in Mexico City.

ABSTRACT

PIP: Informal street trading has expanded to a greater extent in Mexico City than anywhere else in the rest of the country. Women are increasingly involved in this activity. However, individuals working in the informal sector are not covered by social security, and thus lack access to medical services. Mothers working in the informal sector lack access to day care centers for their children. This paper explains how female street vendors in Mexico City care for their children under age 3 years. 426 street traders randomly selected in four administrative districts in 1990 were surveyed. These mothers most often looked after their young children personally on the street or left them with other family members. Related factors were the availability of alternative child care providers in the family, the age of the children, and the working conditions of the mother. Children who remained on the streets with their mothers more frequently experienced gastrointestinal diseases and accidents than the national average. The incidence of acute respiratory diseases, however, was similar in the cases of maternal care in the street and care by family members in another environment. Existing public health measures show a greater concern for the health of food consumers than that of workers in the area. Current public policy seeks to regulate street vending activities and to concentrate traders in ad hoc areas and facilities.