Farida Habib, Ram La Nayaib, Salma, Kehkashan Khan, Asra Jamal, Anila Aman Cheema, Nausheen Imam.
Occupational health hazards among street children.
Biomedica Jan ;23:92-5.

This study was performed to find out the physical, mental and social health problems of street children. Five main round-abouts of Karachi, from May 2006 to September 2006. A questionnaire was designed consisting of 20 different close ended questions covering all the three parameters of health i.e., physical, mental and social regarding street children. Variables for physical health hazards were the effect of extremes of temperature, noise pollution, air pollution and lack of proper diet. Variables for mental health hazards were compulsion for work, kidnapped and lack of rest. Social health hazards were indulgence in substance use and sexual abuse. The bad effect of continuous sun exposure had significant relationship with the duration of work on street in years (p-value = 0.0000). Similar result was obtained for the bad effect of continuous smoke exposure with the duration of work in years (p-value = 0.000). Twenty-three children out of 50 (46%) were injured while working on the street. Thirty percent children became addicted to chaliya followed by 8% children addicted to niswar. Sixteen percent of street children were subjected to torture in the form scolding or beaten by other beggars followed by 8% children beaten by police. Street children were facing physical, mental and social health hazards.

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