Health and disease among Somali primary school children in Hargeisa
Background and objective: Limited data exist on health conditions of school children in Somaliland. School Health Intervention Pilot Program (SHIPP) was conducted through Edna Adan University Hospital to screen children and offer interventions. We present the results of the general health screening...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
|
Series: | Global Health Action |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2019.1598648 |
id |
doaj-6612f7b53a054608b9e405ec4590ac5b |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-6612f7b53a054608b9e405ec4590ac5b2020-11-25T03:41:19ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-98802019-01-0112110.1080/16549716.2019.15986481598648Health and disease among Somali primary school children in HargeisaMagnus Andreas Nordstrand0Daniel Stenberg Saxe1Mohammed Abdirizak Mohammed2Mary B. Adam3Edna Adan University HospitalEdna Adan University HospitalEdna Adan University HospitalAIC Kijabe HospitalBackground and objective: Limited data exist on health conditions of school children in Somaliland. School Health Intervention Pilot Program (SHIPP) was conducted through Edna Adan University Hospital to screen children and offer interventions. We present the results of the general health screening of the school children, and also describe the association between nutritional status and other variables. Methods: In this cross-sectional study children from two public primary schools in Hargeisa were assessed for general health by nursing students. Nutritional status was assessed by BMI-for-age z-scores and visual acuity by Paediatric Snellen Chart. Results: We screened 2,093 children aged 4–19 years; 58% were boys. Very low BMI-for-age (z-score < −3) was detected in 10%; 6% had visual acuity below 0.7; 26% had dental caries. Children reported low exposure to health services: 33% reported no prior vaccination; 46% reported they had never visited a health clinic or hospital. Conclusion: A significant number of children were malnourished, had reduced visual acuity or treatable infections which could impact their ability to learn. Public schools are a feasible entry point for public health action including screening, treatment, and referral in fragile countries.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2019.1598648school health screeningsomali childrenmalnourishmentimpaired vision childrenvaccination status |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Magnus Andreas Nordstrand Daniel Stenberg Saxe Mohammed Abdirizak Mohammed Mary B. Adam |
spellingShingle |
Magnus Andreas Nordstrand Daniel Stenberg Saxe Mohammed Abdirizak Mohammed Mary B. Adam Health and disease among Somali primary school children in Hargeisa Global Health Action school health screening somali children malnourishment impaired vision children vaccination status |
author_facet |
Magnus Andreas Nordstrand Daniel Stenberg Saxe Mohammed Abdirizak Mohammed Mary B. Adam |
author_sort |
Magnus Andreas Nordstrand |
title |
Health and disease among Somali primary school children in Hargeisa |
title_short |
Health and disease among Somali primary school children in Hargeisa |
title_full |
Health and disease among Somali primary school children in Hargeisa |
title_fullStr |
Health and disease among Somali primary school children in Hargeisa |
title_full_unstemmed |
Health and disease among Somali primary school children in Hargeisa |
title_sort |
health and disease among somali primary school children in hargeisa |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
series |
Global Health Action |
issn |
1654-9880 |
publishDate |
2019-01-01 |
description |
Background and objective: Limited data exist on health conditions of school children in Somaliland. School Health Intervention Pilot Program (SHIPP) was conducted through Edna Adan University Hospital to screen children and offer interventions. We present the results of the general health screening of the school children, and also describe the association between nutritional status and other variables. Methods: In this cross-sectional study children from two public primary schools in Hargeisa were assessed for general health by nursing students. Nutritional status was assessed by BMI-for-age z-scores and visual acuity by Paediatric Snellen Chart. Results: We screened 2,093 children aged 4–19 years; 58% were boys. Very low BMI-for-age (z-score < −3) was detected in 10%; 6% had visual acuity below 0.7; 26% had dental caries. Children reported low exposure to health services: 33% reported no prior vaccination; 46% reported they had never visited a health clinic or hospital. Conclusion: A significant number of children were malnourished, had reduced visual acuity or treatable infections which could impact their ability to learn. Public schools are a feasible entry point for public health action including screening, treatment, and referral in fragile countries. |
topic |
school health screening somali children malnourishment impaired vision children vaccination status |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2019.1598648 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT magnusandreasnordstrand healthanddiseaseamongsomaliprimaryschoolchildreninhargeisa AT danielstenbergsaxe healthanddiseaseamongsomaliprimaryschoolchildreninhargeisa AT mohammedabdirizakmohammed healthanddiseaseamongsomaliprimaryschoolchildreninhargeisa AT marybadam healthanddiseaseamongsomaliprimaryschoolchildreninhargeisa |
_version_ |
1724530381969948672 |