title: Orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya: results from a nationally representative population-based survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Kenya, it is estimated that there are approximately 3.6 million children aged <18 years who have been orphaned or who are vulnerable. We examined the data from the second Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey (KAIS 2012) to determine the number and profile of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Kenya who were aged <18 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  KAIS 2012 was a nationally representative, population-based household survey. We analyzed the data for all the children from birth to age 17 years who resided in an eligible household so as to determine whether their parents were alive or had been very ill to define their OVC status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We estimated that there were 2.6 million OVC in Kenya in 2012, of whom 1.8 million were orphans and 750,000 were vulnerable. Among orphans, 15% were double orphans. Over one-third of all the OVC were aged between 10 and 14 years. Households with ≥1 OVC (12% of all households) were usually in the lowest 2 wealth quintiles, and 22% of OVC households had experienced moderate or severe hunger. Receipt of OVC support services was low for medical (3.7%), psychological (4.1%), social (1.3%), and material support (6.2%); educational support was slightly more common (11.5%). Orphanhood among children aged <15 years increased from 1993 to 2003 (P < 0.01) but declined from 2003 to 2012 (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 2.6 million OVC constitute a significant proportion of Kenya's population aged <18 years. Special attention should be paid to OVC to prevent further vulnerability and ensure their well-being and development as they transition into adulthood.
authors.affiliation: *Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, Allan Rosenfield Global Health Fellowship, Nairobi, Kenya; †Division of Monitoring, Evaluation and Research National AIDS Control Council, Nairobi, Kenya; ‡United Nations Children's Fund, Nairobi, Kenya; §Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Center for Global Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nairobi, Kenya; and ‖Office of Population and Health, United States Agency for International Development, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Veronica C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muriithi
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gilbert-Nandra
authors.forename: Andrea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Odek
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mokaya
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Galbraith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054540:Child, Orphaned / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
references.citation: AIDS Care. 2011 Sep;23(9):1177-85
references.pmid: 21500024
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 May 1;66 Suppl 1:S116-22
references.pmid: 24732815
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2012 Aug 15;60 Suppl 3:S127-35
references.pmid: 22797734
references.citation: Matern Child Health J. 2012 Aug;16(6):1232-40
references.pmid: 21750894
references.citation: Popul Stud (Camb). 2004;58(2):207-17
references.pmid: 15204254
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 May 1;66 Suppl 1:S13-26
references.pmid: 24445338
references.citation: J Pediatr Psychol. 2012 Sep;37(8):868-78
references.pmid: 22728899
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 May 1;66 Suppl 1:S3-12
references.pmid: 24732819
references.citation: Trop Med Int Health. 2003 Jan;8(1):67-72
references.pmid: 12535253
references.citation: AIDS Educ Prev. 2007 Oct;19(5):383-95
references.pmid: 17967109
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 2011 Aug;73(3):436-46
references.pmid: 21729821
references.citation: AIDS Care. 2010 Sep;22(9):1066-85
references.pmid: 20824560
references.citation: AIDS Res Ther. 2011 Mar 07;8:13
references.pmid: 21385370