Psychosocial health concerns among service-seeking orphans in the slums of Kampala

ABSTRACT

Orphans have many unmet needs. The purpose of the current study is to briefly examine the psychosocial correlates linked to being an orphan among service-seeking youth in the slums of Kampala in order to provide guidance for service provision for youth. The current analysis is based on a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2011 which consisted of a convenience sample of youth living in the slums (ages 14–24 years) attending a drop-in center, Uganda Youth Development Link. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to determine psychosocial correlates with being an orphan. Among the youth participants (N = 444), 23.65% (n = 105) reported both of their parents died, 37.39% (n = 166) reported one parent died, and the remaining 38.96% (n = 173) reported both of their parents are living. In the multivariable model, reporting both parents dead was significantly associated with being a female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27, 6.12) and parental abuse (AOR: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.27). A large percentage of youth living in the slums of Kampala are orphans. This study presents important findings that inform interventions and policies that can be targeted toward the dire needs of youth living in the streets and slums of Kampala.

KEYWORDS:

• Orphans
• sub-Saharan Africa
• street youth
• parental abuse

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funding to conduct the study were obtained from the [Georgia State University Office of International Initiatives] and also from funds leveraged through collaboration with the [Emory Center for Injury Control], funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr Staton would like to acknowledge salary support funding from the [Fogarty International Center] under grant [K01 TW010000-01A1]. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health under grant [R21AA022065].