| dc.description.abstract | Background: The street children phenomenon is an alarming and increasing worldwide problem. Street children are maltreated, imprisoned and in some countries killed. The phenomenon of street children and offspring of the modern urban environment represent one of humanity’s most complex and serious challenges.
Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the factors associated with the increased number of street kids on Kampala roads. (Jinja and Entebbe roads).
Method: A descriptive cross sectional study was employed to investigate the factors associated with the increased number of street kids on Kampala roads (Jinja and Entebbe roads). A total of 100 streets children from Jinja and Entebbe roads using simple random sampling technique, a structured questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 17.
Result: From the assessment done, 65(65.0%) were male and 35(35.0%) were female. Fifty one, 51.0% 0f the respondents were in age group of 10-11 years old. 83 (83.0%) had no formal education with most of them 35 (35.0%) saying parents or guardians not able to pay fees was the reason they are not at school. 37 (37.0%) had been in the streets for 1-3 years. 30, 30.0% of the respondents were karamojong by tribe. 73% had parents who drink alcohol, 25 (34.2%) of the parents drinks 2-3 times a week. Sixty one, 61.0% of the respondents said their parents/guardians fight and 40 (65.6%) of the respondents fight twice a week and the reason being drunkenness 24 (39.3%) as reported to be the commonest reason for the fight 63 (63.0%) do not stay with both parents with most of them 26 (41.3%) gave parents being dead as the reason for not staying with both parents, 13 (50.0%) of those who have lost their parent lost their mothers. 63 (63.0%) lived with 7-9 people at home. Thirty seven, 37.0% of the respondents stayed with siblings as a mature person when at home or streets. 29 (29.0%) had very poor relationship with their parents/guardian from home. 72 (72.0%) had one meals a day. 51 (51.0%) do begging as the main activity on the streets70 (70.0%) strongly agreed that negative peer influence can lead to increase in street children. Most 37 (37.0) strongly agreed that Acquired disability can lead to staying on the streets. Sixty two, 62.0% of the respondents strongly agreed that congenital abnormality leads to children staying on the streets and 59.0% of the respondents agreed that road traffic accidents leads to children staying on streets.
Conclusion: The preference level of staying on the streets was high at (71.0%), Sociodemographic factors gender, and age, class they stopped in, reason for not being at school, tribe, and religion and was significantly associated with children preferring to stay on the streets. The socio-economic related factors that had significant association with staying on the streets were; Staying with both parents or not, reason for not staying with both parents, number of people they live within a home, mature person they stay with on the streets or at home, relationship with parents/guardians and number of meals in a day. All the physical factors variables of negative peer influence, acquired disability, congenital abnormality and road traffic accidents significantly associated with children preferring to stay on the streets.
Recommendation: Providing helps through recognized institution will reduce the number of streets children. | en_US |
