Farah Asad Mansuri.
Extent of child labor in ancestral occupation: a reflection from washer-men community in Karachi
Pak J Med Sci Apr - Jun 2002;18(2):131-4.
Community Health Sciences Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the magnitude of child labor in relevance to occupation and to establish an association with the risk factors. Methods: It is a cross sectional study carried out in March 2000. Forty children between the ages of 7-15 years were selected randomly in the washer-men community of Goharabad, Karachi. Results: Seventy percent of the children helped their families in miscellaneous steps of washing irrespective of their age and school status. The occurrence of skin disease was 37.5%, diarrhea 20%, minor ailments 37.5% and miscellaneous diseases account for 5% including malaria and chicken pox. Out of all the children 35% were enrolled in primary and 10% in secondary school. Seventeen percent (n=24) of fathers and 8 % of mothers were literate. The study established a significant association between illiteracy and child neglect (OR=1.27 CI is 1.23, 1.30). Conclusion: Occupational abuse is more common among children of illiterate parents. Most of the children are engaged in the washing process as a customary obligation and suffer mostly from skin disease and minor seasonal ailments.

Category: Community Medicine
Keywords: Child Labor.

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