scholarly journals Street children

2013 ◽  
Vol 141 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 835-841
Author(s):  
Nevenka Roncevic ◽  
Aleksandra Stojadinovic ◽  
Daliborka Batrnek­antonic

According to UNICEF, street child is any child under the age of 18 for whom the street has become home and/or source of income and which is not adequately protected or supervised by adult, responsible person. It has been estimated that there are between 100 and 150 million street children worldwide. Life and work on the street have long term and far-reaching consequences for development and health of these children. By living and working in the street, these children face the highest level of risk. Street children more often suffer from the acute illness, injuries, infection, especially gastrointestinal, acute respiratory infections and sexually transmitted diseases, inadequate nutrition, mental disorders, and drug abuse. They are more often victims of abuse, sexual exploitation, trafficking; they have higher rate of adolescent pregnancy than their peers from poor families. Street children and youth have higher rates of hospitalization and longer hospital stay due to seriousness of illness and delayed health care. Street children/youth are reluctant to seek health care, and when they try, they face many barriers. Street children are invisible to the state and their number in Serbia is unknown. Recently, some non?governmental organizations from Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis have recognized this problem and tried to offer some help to street children, by opening drop?in centers, but this is not enough. To solve this problem, an engagement of the state and the whole community is necessary, and primary responsibility lies in health, social and educational sector. The best interests of the child must serve as a basic guideline in all activities aimed at improving health, quality of life and rights of children involved in the life and work in the street.

Author(s):  
Mariana Arantes Nasser ◽  
Maria Ines Battistella Nemes ◽  
Marta Campagnoni Andrade ◽  
Rogério Ruscitto do Prado ◽  
Elen Rose Lodeiro Castanheira

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to assess performance in sexual and reproductive health of primary health care services of the Brazilian Unified Health System, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS An evaluative framework was built for sexual and reproductive health with the categorization of 99 indicators in three domains: sexual and reproductive health promotion (25), sexually transmitted infections/AIDS prevention and care (43), and reproductive health care (31). This framework was applied to assess the services responses to the questionnaire of Quality Evaluation of Primary Health Care in the Municipalities of São Paulo State (QualiAB), in 2010. Percentages were calculated for positive responses to indicators and performance in the sexual and reproductive health dimension, according to domains, and their contribution to the overall score in sexual and reproductive health (Friedman), relative participation (Dunn), and correlation (Spearman) was verified. RESULTS Overall, 2,735 services participated in the study. They were located in 586 municipalities (distributed throughout the 17 regional health departments of São Paulo), of which 70.6% had fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. The overall average performance of these services for sexual and reproductive health is 56.8%. The actions are characterized by: prenatal with adequate beginning and exams, better organization for immediate rather than for late postnatal care, and selective reproductive planning for some contraceptives; prevention based on specific protection, limitations in the prevention of congenital syphilis, in the treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and in the screening of cervical and breast cancer; specific educational activities, with a restricted vulnerability approach, focus on sexuality over reproduction. The domain of reproductive health has greater participation in the overall score, followed by prevention/care and promotion. The three domains are correlated; the domain of prevention/care has the highest correlation with the other ones. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of sexual and reproductive health in primary health care in the services studied is incipient. The revision of the purpose of the work, the dissemination of technologies, and the investing in permanent education are needed. The evaluative framework built can be used by the sexual and reproductive health program services and management in primary health care, thereby contributing to their actions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 1326-1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Godoy ◽  
Laura S. Abrams ◽  
Elizabeth S. Barnert ◽  
Mikaela A. Kelly ◽  
Eraka P. Bath

Prior research has examined the high health care needs and vulnerabilities faced by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), yet their perspectives are frequently absent. We sought to understand the narratives and views of individuals affected by CSE on their bodies, health, and motivations to seek health care treatment. Twenty-one girls and young women ages 15 to 19 years with self-identified histories of CSE participated in the study. All participants had current or prior involvement in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare systems. Data collection included brief questionnaires, followed by semi-structured individual interviews. The interviews took place between March and July 2017 and were analyzed using iterative and inductive techniques, using the shared decision-making model as a guide. “Fierce Autonomy” emerged as a core theme, depicting how past traumas and absence of control led the girls and young women to exercise agency and reclaim autonomy over decisions affecting their health.


2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
LINDA A. BERNHARD

Research on lesbian health and health care is very limited, but is beginning to increase. Evidence of limited access to care, homophobic attitudes of health care professionals, and expected or actual negative experiences in interactions with health care professionals help to explain why lesbians are less likely than other women to seek health care. Lesbians have many of the same physical health needs that other women do, but the most prevalent topics on which research could be found were screening for breast and cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV. More research has been conducted in areas related to mental health, such as stress, use of therapy, alcohol abuse and recovery, and violence. The chief conclusion from this review is that there is a need for all types of research in all areas of lesbian health.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 2417-2425
Author(s):  
Peter Peikov ◽  
Borana Hadjieva

The present paper reveals the significance of the National Archival Fund for preservation of the historical and cultural memory of the Bulgarian nation and the formation of historical consciousness. The National Archives Fund is defined as the largest collection of documents with historical, scientific, social, economic, cultural significance as an essential part of the cultural and historical heritage of Bulgaria.It treasures documents about the history of thousands of institutions and prominent figures of the state, economy, culture and art, of ordinary citizens whose activity is historically important in one respect or another.The emphasis of the study is on the main factors determining the daily enrichment of the National Archival Fund with new documents. Among these key factors are development of documentaristics and archivistics, trends in social development, ideological and political climate, financial stability and attitude of the society as a whole, of the istitutional leaders and administrative heads, creating documents, in particular, of the non-governmental organizations and even of the individual citizen to the problems in the field of archivistics.In the focus of the paper as well is the leading role of the state archives for the formation of the National Archival Fund of Bulgaria and the opportunities for cooperation with museums, libraries, community centers and other institutions of memory working with the same purpose and vision.


Author(s):  
Patrick T. Adegun ◽  
Eyitope O. Amu

Abstract Background: In Nigeria, adolescents are highly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) which have the potential of jeopardising their future reproductive lives if poorly treated. Objective: To determine the prevalence and health care seeking behaviour for STIs among secondary school adolescents in Ado, South-Western Nigeria. Subjects: Male and female adolescents aged 10–19 years. Methods: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A pre-tested, self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 560 adolescents selected from public and private secondary schools in Ado Local Government Area (LGA) of Ekiti State, using a multistage sampling technique. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Analyzed data were presented in the form of tables and charts. Results: Two hundred and fifty-one (47.1%) respondents had previous symptoms of STIs. The commonest symptoms among the males were penile discharge (30.5%), painful micturition (30.5%) and stomach pain with swollen testes (25.4%). The commonest symptoms among the females were genital itching (27.6%), genital sores (14.1%) and painful micturition (13.1%). Only 26.7% sought treatment from a health facility; 37.0% did nothing; 15.9% went to patent medicine stores, 10.0% used herbs; the rest did self-medication or prayed. Conclusion: The prevalence of STI symptoms among adolescents in Ado-Ekiti is high but their health care seeking behaviour is poor. Health education about the dangers of untreated STI and the importance of seeking treatment early, targeted at adolescents, should be intensified.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A B Guerra ◽  
L M Guerra ◽  
L F Probst ◽  
B V Castro Gondinho ◽  
G M Bovi Ambrosano ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The state of São Paulo recorded a significant reduction in infant mortality, but the desired reduction in maternal mortality was not achieved. Knowledge of the factors with impact on these indicators would be of help in formulating public policies. The aims of this study were to evaluate the relations between socioeconomic and demographic factors, health care model and both infant mortality and maternal mortality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Methods In this ecological study, data from national official open sources were used. Analyzed were 645 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. For each municipality, the infant mortality and maternal mortality rates were calculated for every 1000 live births, 2013. The association between these rates, socioeconomic variables, demographic models and the primary care organization model in the municipality were verified. We used the zero-inflated negative binomial model. Gross analysis was performed and then multiple regression models were estimated. For associations, we adopted “p” at 5%. Results The increase in the HDI of the city and proportion of Family Health Care Strategy implemented were significantly associated with the reduction in both infant mortality (neonatal + post-neonatal) and maternal mortality rates. In turn, the increase in birth and caesarean delivery rates were associated with the increase in infant and maternal mortality rates. Conclusions It was concluded that the Family Health Care Strategy model that contributed to the reduction in infant (neonatal + post-neonatal) and maternal mortality rates, and so did actors such as HDI and cesarean section. Thus, public health managers should prefer this model. Key messages Implementation of public policies with specific focus on attenuating these factors and making it possible to optimize resources, and not interrupting the FHS. Knowledge of the factors with impact on these indicators would be of help in formulating public policies.


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