Socio - demographic characteristics of child street vendors in Nnewi, Nigeria

Background: Involvement of children in street trading is inimical, contrary to the Rights of the Child, and threatens holistic child development. Objective: To describe the sociodemographic characteristics of child street vendors in Nnewi. Method: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of children selling wares on the streets of Nnewi, southeast Nigeria. Results: 147 children (90 boys and 57 girls) aged 8 – 19 years were interviewed: 57 (38.8%) lived with their parents, 63 (42.9%) with relations and friends, while 27 (18.3%) lived alone. Also, 27 (18.4%) were Anambra state indigenes, others hailing from surrounding states. The parents of all the subjects were of low socioeconomic status. Trading was taking place during school hours for financial gains of the family. As many as 42.9% of the subjects had completed primary education: 89 (60.5%) had completely dropped out of school for varying periods. Nine girls (6.1%) had been sexually abused and 46 children (32.7%) had at sometime lost their earnings to robbers. Majority (79.6%) aspired to higher education if given the opportunity. Conclusion: Many parents in the low socioeconomic groups still keep their children out of school to work and help boost the family income. It is recommended that legislation be made against children trading during school hours.Key Words: child labour, street children, child vendors, Nigeria

Nutritional Contents of Lunch Packs of Primary School Children in Nnewi, Nigeria

Background: Lunch packs play a significant role in the nutritional status and academic performance of school children. Available data show a high prevalence of malnutrition among school‑age children. Aims: The aim of this study is to document the nutritional contents of lunch packs of primary school children in Nnewi, Anambra state, Nigeria.Subjects and Methods: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 1018 primary 1‑6 pupils selected by stratified systematic random sampling from six primary schools, two each of private, – mission, – and government (public) – owned schools in Nnewi metropolis with the aid of the semi‑structured questionnaire. Lunch packs of the pupils were examined.Results: Majority of the pupils (77.8% [792/1018]) had lunch packs although about half of pupils in public schools had no lunch pack. Only 12.4% (98/792) and 19.2% (152/792) of pupils with lunch packs had balanced meals and fruits/vegetables in their lunch packs, respectively. The odds of not coming to school with packed lunch was about 13 and 12 times higher for mothers with no formal education or only primary education, respectively, compared with those with tertiary education. Type of school had a strong influence on possession and contents of lunch pack (χ2 = 2.88, P < 0.001, phi coefficient = 0.72). Pupils in private (97.5% [198/203]) and mission (94.4% [388/411]) schools were more likely to have a lunch pack compared with public schools (51.0% [206/404]). However, pupils in private schools were most likely to have a balanced meal (32.5% [66/203] vs. 5.8% [24/411] in mission and 2.0% [8/404] in public schools) and fruits/vegetables (48.3% [98/203] vs. 10.2% [42/411] in mission and 3.0% [12/404] in public schools) in their lunch packs. Mothers’ educational status and parents’ occupation were significantly associated with lunch pack contents. Conclusion: Majority of the lunch packs of primary school pupils contain poor quality food especially in public schools. Mother’s educational status and parent’s occupation are important determinants of the nutritional contents of lunch packs.Keywords: Lunch, Nigeria, Nutrition, School childre

Adolescent reproductive health challenges among schoolgirls in southeast Nigeria: role of knowledge of menstrual pattern and contraceptive adherence

Leonard Ogbonna Ajah,1 Ebele Samuel Onubogu,1 Okechukwu Bonaventure Anozie,1 Lucky Osaheni Lawani,1 Chukwuemeka Anthony Iyoke,2 Emeka Ogah Onwe,3 Monique Iheoma Ajah4 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, 3Department of Paediatrics, 4Well Women Centre, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria Background: Reproductive health services in the form of adolescent health and contraceptive services are fundamental in the prevention of a high incidence of teenage pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to determine the age at menarche, menstrual pattern, and awareness of and use of modern contraception among secondary school girls in Abakaliki, Nigeria.Subjects and materials: This was a cross-sectional study in which self-administered questionnaires were completed by 482 adolescent girls at two girls’ secondary schools between August and September 2012.Results: The mean age at menarche was 13.13±1.37 years. The mean menstrual cycle length was 27.8±3.14 days, and the mean duration of menstrual flow was 4.8±1.14 days. Thirty-seven (7.7%) respondents were ignorant of their cycle length, while 29 (6.0%) had irregular cycles. Premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea were major menstrual issues, which resulted in 69 (14.3%) and 59 (12.2%) of respondents resorting to self-medication and absenteeism from school, respectively. Mothers were the main source of their daughters’ adolescent education, while friends and mass media were the main source of contraceptive information. Though there was a high level (75.7%) of awareness of contraceptive information among the girls, usage (8.9%) was poor. Only eight (18.6%) of the 43 respondents who had ever used modern contraception were adherent to modern contraceptives. Students who were more than 15 years old, attained menarche at 13 years or less, and whose families were of low socioeconomic classes were more likely to be sexually active.Conclusion: The declining age at menarche, menstrual challenges, and poor reproductive health status of adolescent girls in this study have made menstrual issues and contraceptive adherence critical aspects of adolescent health care, especially when appropriate sources of reproductive health information were not fully harnessed. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish adolescent-friendly clinics and include sexuality education in the curriculum of schools in this environment. Keywords: menstrual pattern, contraception, reproductive health, adolescent girls, Nigeri