142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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297341
Protective factors that support Orphans and Vulnerable Children school attendance in Zambia

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014

Margaret Henning, MA, PhD , Health Science, Keene State College, Keene, NH
Sunil Khanna, PhD , School of Biological and Population Health Sciences International Health Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Lisa Langaug, Ph.D , Head of Resrach, REPSSI, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Africa remains the epicenter of the global HIV and AIDS epidemic. In Zambia, where estimated HIV prevalence is 13.5% as of 2009, mortality and protracted illness from AIDS has created a generation of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) often cared for by chronically ill caregivers. A direct correlation exists between the increased prevalence of OVC and increases in child labor, child prostitution, sexual exploitation, and juvenile delinquency. Research suggests that school-based HIV programs are a crucial strategy to both prevent HIV and provide support for vulnerable youth. This research sought to identify positive protective factors for OVCs that contribute to improved school attendance.  Results aim to inform future culturally and contextually specific interventions that could further bolster school attendance that is generalizable to other populations.

Quantitative and qualitative results are triangulated to identify protective factors for school attendance. 2009 National Zambia Sexual Behavior Survey was analyzed using data collected from a nationally-representative sample of interviews for 475 OVC households compared to 1,176 households for non-OVCs. Qualitative data was collected from 6 focus groups with school-attending OVC (16 males, 18 females).

Results indicate that number of school-age children in a home is related to school attendance. For OVC households there is a significant relationship between schooling support and school attendance (r=0.12, p<.01).Finally, a negative relationship between OVC and step-parents appears to negatively influence school attendance.  In conclusion, this work supports considerations for targeted capacity building for education as a sustainable community-based approach to support those most vulnerable.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Analyze the research and theoretical knowledge base regarding pathways between the protective factors in OVC children and education; Examine leverage points for community-based change in relation to schools; Provide an understanding of modifiable protective processes that contribute to protective factors in children affected by HIV and other health-related issues in order to inform health and school focused interventions.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a faculty in Health science and service to review for multiple Journals. My work has examined health conditions, including health disparities, health education, maternal and infant health patterns, from a cross-cultural perspective. My research recognizes that multiple and complex factors affect the public health. The proposed work is a continuation of her work in developing polices and interventions that support OVC and making the connection to community based recourses.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.