Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study.
The escalating number of Children Living and Working in Streets (CLWS) in Tanzania has become one of the neglected Public Health issues. It is of more concern that, most of the CLWS hardly have access to health care and socio-protection services as a result, increase their vulnerability to infection...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLOS Global Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001916 |
| _version_ | 1797699081836953600 |
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| author | Lilian Solile Elias C Nyanza Joseph R Mwanga Dorice L Shangali |
| author_facet | Lilian Solile Elias C Nyanza Joseph R Mwanga Dorice L Shangali |
| author_sort | Lilian Solile |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The escalating number of Children Living and Working in Streets (CLWS) in Tanzania has become one of the neglected Public Health issues. It is of more concern that, most of the CLWS hardly have access to health care and socio-protection services as a result, increase their vulnerability to infections and engagement in risky behaviors such as early unprotected sex. Currently, efforts by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to work with and assist CLWS in Tanzania are promising. To explore the role of CSOs, preventing barriers and existing opportunities in enhancing the access to health care and socio-protection services among CLWS in Mwanza city, northwestern Tanzania. A phenomenological approach was used to explore a full understanding of the individual, organizational, and social context factors on the role, prevailing barriers, and opportunities CSOs play in enhancing access to health care services and socio-protection among CLWS. Majority of CLWS were males, rape was commonly reported among CLWS. Individual CSOs are involved in resources mobilization, provision of basic life skills, education on self-protection, and mobilization of health care services to CLWS who depend on donations from public passersby. Some CSOs went as far as to develop community-based initiatives that give CLWS and home-bound children, access to health care and protection services. Older CLWS sometimes compromise the young ones from getting proper health care services by taking and/or sharing medication prescribed to them. This could be leading to incomplete dosing when ill. Moreover, health care workers were reported to have negative attitudes towards CLWS. Limited access to health and social protection services put CLWS lives at risk, calling for immediate intervention. Self-medication and incomplete dosage are a norm among this marginalized and unprotected population. Individual Civil Society Organizations attempt to address the needs of CLWS with a lot of barriers from the community and the health care system. It is time for the CSOs attempting to assist the CLWS to get support from the authorities and other people to aid this vulnerable population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T04:03:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-218562c4657041528b63c7814a74f83c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2767-3375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T04:03:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLOS Global Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-218562c4657041528b63c7814a74f83c2023-09-03T11:27:56ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752023-01-0135e000191610.1371/journal.pgph.0001916Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study.Lilian SolileElias C NyanzaJoseph R MwangaDorice L ShangaliThe escalating number of Children Living and Working in Streets (CLWS) in Tanzania has become one of the neglected Public Health issues. It is of more concern that, most of the CLWS hardly have access to health care and socio-protection services as a result, increase their vulnerability to infections and engagement in risky behaviors such as early unprotected sex. Currently, efforts by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to work with and assist CLWS in Tanzania are promising. To explore the role of CSOs, preventing barriers and existing opportunities in enhancing the access to health care and socio-protection services among CLWS in Mwanza city, northwestern Tanzania. A phenomenological approach was used to explore a full understanding of the individual, organizational, and social context factors on the role, prevailing barriers, and opportunities CSOs play in enhancing access to health care services and socio-protection among CLWS. Majority of CLWS were males, rape was commonly reported among CLWS. Individual CSOs are involved in resources mobilization, provision of basic life skills, education on self-protection, and mobilization of health care services to CLWS who depend on donations from public passersby. Some CSOs went as far as to develop community-based initiatives that give CLWS and home-bound children, access to health care and protection services. Older CLWS sometimes compromise the young ones from getting proper health care services by taking and/or sharing medication prescribed to them. This could be leading to incomplete dosing when ill. Moreover, health care workers were reported to have negative attitudes towards CLWS. Limited access to health and social protection services put CLWS lives at risk, calling for immediate intervention. Self-medication and incomplete dosage are a norm among this marginalized and unprotected population. Individual Civil Society Organizations attempt to address the needs of CLWS with a lot of barriers from the community and the health care system. It is time for the CSOs attempting to assist the CLWS to get support from the authorities and other people to aid this vulnerable population.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001916 |
| spellingShingle | Lilian Solile Elias C Nyanza Joseph R Mwanga Dorice L Shangali Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study. PLOS Global Public Health |
| title | Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study. |
| title_full | Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study. |
| title_fullStr | Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study. |
| title_short | Challenges in accessing health care and socio-protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern Tanzania: A qualitative study. |
| title_sort | challenges in accessing health care and socio protection services among children living and working in streets in northwestern tanzania a qualitative study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001916 |
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