scholarly journals Child Domestic Work, Violence, and Health Outcomes: A Rapid Systematic Review

Author(s):  
Aye Myat Thi ◽  
Cathy Zimmerman ◽  
Nicola S. Pocock ◽  
Clara W. Chan ◽  
Meghna Ranganathan

This rapid systematic review describes violence and health outcomes among child domestic workers (CDWs) taken from 17 studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries. Our analysis estimated the median reported rates of violence in CDWs aged 5–17-year-olds to be 56.2% (emotional; range: 13–92%), 18.9% (physical; range: 1.7–71.4%), and 2.2% (sexual; range: 0–62%). Both boys and girls reported emotional abuse and sexual violence with emotional abuse being the most common. In Ethiopia and India, violence was associated with severe physical injuries and sexual insecurity among a third to half of CDWs. CDWs in India and Togo reported lower levels of psycho-social well-being than controls. In India, physical punishment was correlated with poor psycho-social well-being of CDWs [OR: 3.6; 95% CI: 3.2–4; p < 0.0001]. Across the studies, between 7% and 68% of CDWs reported work-related illness and injuries, and one third to half had received no medical treatment. On average, children worked between 9 and 15 h per day with no rest days. Findings highlight that many CDWs are exposed to abuse and other health hazards but that conditions vary substantially by context. Because of the often-hidden nature of child domestic work, future initiatives will need to be specifically designed to reach children in private households. Young workers will also benefit from strategies to change social norms around the value and vulnerability of children in domestic work and the long-term implications of harm during childhood.

Author(s):  
Nicola S. Pocock ◽  
Clara W. Chan ◽  
Cathy Zimmerman

Child domestic work (CDW) is a hidden form of child labour. Globally, there were an estimated 17.2 million CDWs aged 5–17 in 2012, but there has been little critical analysis of methods and survey instruments used to capture prevalence of CDW. This rapid systematic review identified and critically reviewed the measurement tools used to estimate CDWs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO registration: CRD42019148702). Fourteen studies were included. In nationally representative surveys, CDW prevalence ranged from 17% among 13–24-year-old females in Haiti to 2% of children aged 10–17 in Brazil. Two good quality studies and one good quality measurement tool were identified. CDW prevalence was assessed using occupation-based methods (n = 9/14), household roster (n = 7) and industry methods (n = 4). Six studies combined approaches. Four studies included task-based questions; one study used this method to formally calculate prevalence. The task-based study estimated 30,000 more CDWs compared to other methods. CDWs are probably being undercounted, based on current standard measurement approaches. We recommend use of more sensitive, task-based methods for inclusion in household surveys. The cognitive and pilot testing of newly developed task-based questions is essential to ensure comprehension. In analyses, researchers should consider CDWs who may be disguised as distant or non-relatives.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e046856
Author(s):  
Sapna Desai ◽  
Kala M Mehta ◽  
Roopal Jyoti Singh ◽  
Allie K Westley ◽  
Osasuyi Dirisu ◽  
...  

IntroductionEconomic groups, such as microfinance or self-help groups are widely implemented in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Women’s groups are voluntary groups, which aim to improve the well-being of members through activities, such as joint savings, credit, livelihoods development and/or health activities. Health interventions are increasingly added on to existing women’s economic groups as a public health intervention for women and their families. Here, we present the protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review we will conduct of the evidence on integrated economic and health interventions on women’s groups to assess whether and how they improve health-related knowledge, behaviour and outcomes in LMICs.Methods and analysisWe will search seven electronic databases for published literature, along with manual searches and consultation. The review will include (1) randomised trials and non-randomised quasiexperimental studies of intervention effects of integrated economic and health interventions delivered through women’s groups in LMICs, and (2) sibling studies that examine factors related to intervention content, context, implementation processes and costs. We will appraise risk of bias and study quality using standard tools. High and moderate quality studies will be grouped by health domain and synthesised without meta-analysis. Qualitative evidence will be thematically synthesised and integrated into the quantitative synthesis using a matrix approach.Ethics and disseminationThis protocol was reviewed and deemed exempt by the institutional review board at the American Institutes for Research. Findings will be shared through peer-reviewed publication and disseminated with programme implementers and policymakers engaged with women’s groups.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020199998.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e000538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Michele Goley ◽  
Sidonie Sakula-Barry ◽  
Ann Kelly ◽  
Naomi Wright

IntroductionCongenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children under 5 years globally. The greatest burden is faced by those in developing countries, where over 95% of deaths occur. Many of these deaths may have been preventable through antenatal diagnosis and early intervention. This study aims to conduct a systematic review that investigates the use of antenatal ultrasound to diagnose congenital anomalies and improve the health outcomes of infants in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods and analysisA systematic literature review will be conducted using three search strings: (1) structural congenital anomalies, (2) LMICs and (3) antenatal diagnosis. Four electronic databases will be searched: MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed and the Cochrane Library. Title, abstract and full-text screening will be undertaken in duplicate by two reviewers independently using Covidence. Consensus will be sought from the wider authorship for discrepancies. Data extraction will be undertaken by the principal investigator. The primary analysis will focus on the availability and effectiveness of antenatal ultrasound for structural congenital anomalies. Secondary outcomes will include neonatal morbidity and mortality, termination rates and referral rates for further antenatal care. Descriptive statistics and a narrative synthesis will be included in the final report. The methodological quality of the included studies will be evaluated using the Cochrane-approved Risk of Bias for Non-Randomised Studies of Intervention and Risk of Bias in Randomised Trials V.2.0 tools.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for conducting the systematic review as there will be no direct collection of data from individuals. The results will be submitted for publication in a scientific journal and presented internationally.ConclusionThis is the first study, to our knowledge, to systematically review current literature on the use of antenatal ultrasound for the detection of congenital anomalies in LMICs. This is vital to define current practice, highlight global disparities and evaluate effects on health outcomes for infants in low-resource settings.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019105620.


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