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other·pediatrics, public health, family medicine, epidemiology, nutrition·PMC10244937

Physical, mental and healthcare issues of children on the street of Ibadan, Nigeria

African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine · 2 authors, 4 centres

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TL;DR

This qualitative study explored the health of children living on the streets of Ibadan by interviewing children and adults in their ecosystem.

Full summary

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A qualitative study using purposive sampling and thematic analysis of 53 interviews with children on the street, parental figures, street shop owners, and child-welfare officers in Ibadan, Nigeria, explored their health. Results revealed that these children face multiple health challenges, including poor carbohydrate-based nutrition, open defecation leading to infections, physical injuries, and few deaths from road traffic accidents. Mental health issues such as depressive feelings, verbal abuse, and substance abuse were common, though some children showed psychological strength. The children demonstrated poor health-seeking behaviors, often relying on street-based patent medicine dealers or traditional practitioners. The study limitations include that reported infectious diseases were not substantiated by objective clinical assessments. The authors conclude that health issues are linked to the children's presence on the streets and recommend family-level interventions to address family-oriented challenges and control street-related adverse exposures.

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

pediatrics

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

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100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10244937

Physical, mental and healthcare issues of children on the street of Ibadan, Nigeria

African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine

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ABSTRACT

Abstract Background Most street children studied in lower- and middle-income African countries are without family links. However, the majority of street children are children on the street, living with families during the night and spending their day-time on the streets. The health of this majority group is poorly captured in the literature despite the growing epidemic of child streetism. Aim To explore the health of children on the street of Ibadan using multiple qualitative studies. Setting A street in each of the five urban local government areas of Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods Participants comprising of children on the street, parental figures, street shop owners and child-welfare officers were purposively selected and interviewed. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Results Using triangulated data from 53 interviews, the study found that the children on the streets of Ibadan experienced many health challenges. Outstanding are poor carbohydrate-based diet, open defaecation with consequent infections, physical injuries and few deaths from road traffic accidents. Sexual, verbal and substance abuse were common although few children acquired resilience to adversity. The children had poor health-seeking behaviour and resorted to patent medicine dealers or tradomedical practitioners on the streets. Conclusion This study bridged some gaps in the literature regarding the health of children on the streets in Nigeria. The straddling of children between the family and street has cumulative health consequences as depicted in this study. Contribution This research can inform family-level intervention and primary health care plans to forestall the health challenges of children on the streets. Keywords: family, children-on-the-street, unhygienic, concoction, hunger, sexual, hawk, injury

CITATION EXPORT

Abimbola M Obimakinde, Moosa Shabir. Physical, mental and healthcare issues of children on the street of Ibadan, Nigeria. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine. (2023). https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v15i1.3819

AUTHORS

2 · 4 CENTRES

Abimbola M Obimakinde, Moosa Shabir

1Family Medicine Unit, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
2Department of Family Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
3Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
4Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa