Sexual Behaviors in Iranian Working Children and the Correlated Risk Factors: Result of the Large-Scale Rapid Assessment and Response (RAR) Survey

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the sexual behaviors among working children and the associated factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 1937 working children in the 10–18 age range in 15 provincial capitals in 2019–20 (Feb–May); the Response rate was 94.9%. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the variable of sexual behaviors. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. The prevalence of sexual behaviors in working children was 4.2%. The results showed a significant difference between those who reported sexual behaviors and those who did not in terms of age, identity document (ID), running away from home, alcohol use, and substance use. There was a statistically significant relationship between fathers’ unemployment and sexual behaviors among working children. Furthermore, we found that having divorced parents could increase the odds of sexual behaviors by 3.74 times. The findings showed that related welfare and support organizations should design and implement effective and continuous training and interventions to raise awareness and reduce the prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors in working children. They should also provide family counseling and promote parental supervision of children.

Keywords:

• Child
• child labor
• street child
• sexual behaviors
• drug use
• alcohol consumption
• run away from home

Authors contribution

PR, SA, NS, and RA conceived the manuscript topic, designed the study, acquired the data, and drafted the manuscript. SA, GK, and NS performed data analysis. SEK, RY, MH, and SA assisted with drafting the manuscript and provided critically important intellectual content during manuscript revisions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript and take public responsibility for their contributions to the manuscript.

Consent for publication

All authors have read the manuscript and have consented to this submission for publication.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their sincere regard to all those who assisted them in conducting this study, especially the working children who participated in the current study.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (IR.IUMS.REC.1400.577).

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Data availability statement

All data generated or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Iran University of Medical Sciences under Grant [grant number 1400-1-90-21096].