Health status of working and non-working school children in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Child labour continues to pose a challenge to national and international agencies. This study compares the health status of working and non-working school children in Ibadan, Nigeria. Altogether, 223 working and 230 non-working children were interviewed. Their ages ranged between 8 and 15 years. Fifty-nine (13%) reported fever, 36 (8%) visual problems, 28 (6%) skin lesions, 17 (4%) muscular and joint pains and 5 (1%) diarrhoea. Schistosoma ova were observed in 25 (6%) children. There was no difference in the occurrence of diseases between working and non-working children. Twenty-seven per cent of the children were underweight and 30% were stunted. Malnutrition was more prevalent among working children as 74 (33%) were underweight (p =0.001) and 76 (34%) were stunted. Public enlightenment about the effect of child labour might discourage parents from engaging their school-age children in work. Governments should address the socio-economic factors that promote child labour.
Omokhodion
Folashade O
FO
Occupational Health Unit, Department of Community Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. dhf.omokhodion@skannet.com
Omokhodion
Samuel I
SI
D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology; D004651:Employment; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009790:Occupations; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care