AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour among South African street youth: Reflections on power, sexuality and the autonomous self

There are an estimated 3,500–5,000 street children living on the streets of Lahore, Pakistan. A disproportionate number of these children use drugs and engage in survival sex as coping mechanisms. Since August, 2003, Project Smile provides mobile social and health services to street children 6 days a week in selected neighborhoods. This study utilizes data from Project Smile registration data on the program’s initial clients (n=347). The study aimed to compare current, former, and nondrug users regarding their reasons for living on the streets, survival and coping mechanisms, and reasons for drug initiation. Of the total sample, 17.0% reported never having used drugs, 15.9% reported being former drug users, and 67.1% reported having used drugs in the month before registration. Participants were 96% boys with a median age of 13 years. The median length of living on the streets was 18 months, and 52.7% had ever been arrested by the police. Odd jobs, begging, and pickpocketing were the primary sources of reported income. Forty-eight percent reported ever having engaging in transactional sex, and 40% reported cutting themselves, primarily to cope with their anger. Variables that were significantly correlated with being a current drug user (vs. never) in the presence of other variables included: being 13 years or older [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=3.0; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=1.3–7.0]; reporting a daily income ≥Rs60 (AOR=2.7; 95% CI=1.1–6.4); having a history of arrest (AOR=3.3;95% CI=1.3–8.3); wanting to return home (AOR=0.3; 95% CI=0.1–0.8); feeling hatred from the public (AOR=5.1; 95% CI=2.0–12.9); ever exchanging sex for food, shelter, drugs, or money (AOR=3.4; 95% CI=1.3–8.9); and ever having cut themselves (AOR=15.4; 95% CI=3.4–70.7). Drug use is a major coping mechanism among street children in Lahore and is associated with many behaviors. Targeted programs are needed to meet their special needs.

Drug use, street survival, and risk behaviors among street children in Lahore, Pakistan.

Approximately one-third of the world's population is between 10-24 years of age, and four out of five young people live in developing countries, a figure which is expected to increase to 87% by the year 2020 (Friedman, 1993; Ainsworth and Over, 1997). In many countries the majority of young people are sexually experienced by the age of 20 and premarital sex is common among 15-19 year-olds. For example in recent surveys it was found that 73% of young men and 28% of young women in this age group in Rio de Janeiro reported having had premarital sex, compared with 59% and 12% respectively in Quito, and 31% and 47% respectively in Ghana (Population Council, 1996)

http://www.pwhce.ca/hivaids/scenario2/Gender_and_the_HIV_Epidemic.pdf

Adolescent sexuality, gender, and the HIV epidemic.

Numbers of street-connected children and young people run into many millions worldwide and include children and young people who live or work in street environments. Whether or not they remain connected to their families of origin, and despite many strengths and resiliencies, they are vulnerable to a range of risks and are excluded from mainstream social structures and opportunities.
The objective of this review is to o summarise the effectiveness of interventions for street-connected children and young people that promote inclusion and reintegration and reduce harms. To explore the processes of successful intervention and models of change in this area, and to understand how intervention effectiveness may vary in different contexts.

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Interventions for promoting reintegration and reducing harmful behaviour and lifestyles in street‐connected children and young people

Being poor is in itself a health hazard; worse, however, is being urban and poor. Much worse is being poor, urban, and a child. But worst of all is being a street child in an urban environment. This article will provide some background on the status of street children on a global basis, make linkages between street children and their frequent condition as working and exploited children, and detail the health impacts of the increasing poverty concentrated in poor urban slums and squatter settlements. Although some specific information on street children is provided, the social and economic factors that have a negative impact on the well-being of the broader population of poor, urban children are analyzed. The division between street children and their urban poor counterparts still living within some sort of family support system cannot be sharply defined. Programs and strategies that have been successful in improving the health and well-being of poor children in general and street children in particular are discussed.

Poverty: the main cause of ill health in urban children.

Estimates of as many of 100 million 5-18 year old children have been generated on the number of street children in urban areas worldwide. About 70% are on the streets during the day and return home at night and 20-25% know where their families are but prefer to live on the streets. 5-10% are without family and live on the streets. About 25-33% are young girls. Poverty is one of the driving forces for street children from rural areas. These children face illnesses such as respiratory infections skin diseases gastrointestinal problems trauma sexual abuse exploitation unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea. In Kenya 4 out of 5 street children know that AIDS while in India few are aware and those who are have a fatalist attitude since violence and death are faced by many of these children daily. As the numbers of street children have grown so have health services to meet their needs. In the Philippines Metro Manila has established a model program in providing health nutrition counseling referral.

C N Franchet

Papers

Manila street children face many sexual risks.