African Population and Health Research Center, PO Box 10787, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
J Urban Health. 2011 Jun;88 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S282-97. doi: 10.1007/s11524-010-9491-z.
The study examines the relationship between orphanhood status and nutritional status and food security among children living in the rapidly growing and uniquely vulnerable slum settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. The study was conducted between January and June 2007 among children aged 6-14 years, living in informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya. Anthropometric measurements were taken using standard procedures and z scores generated using the NCHS/WHO reference. Data on food security were collected through separate interviews with children and their caregivers, and used to generate a composite food security score. Multiple regression analysis was done to determine factors related to vulnerability with regards to food security and nutritional outcomes. The results show that orphans were more vulnerable to food insecurity than non-orphans and that paternal orphans were the most vulnerable orphan group. However, these effects were not significant for nutritional status, which measures long-term food deficiencies. The results also show that the most vulnerable children are boys, those living in households with lowest socioeconomic status, with many dependants, and female-headed and headed by adults with low human capital (low education). This study provides useful insights to inform policies and practice to identify target groups and intervention programs to improve the welfare of orphans and vulnerable children living in urban poor communities.
本研究考察了肯尼亚内罗毕快速发展且极其脆弱的贫民窟定居点中孤儿身份与儿童营养状况和粮食安全之间的关系。该研究于 2007 年 1 月至 6 月期间在肯尼亚内罗毕非正规住区居住的 6-14 岁儿童中进行。采用标准程序进行人体测量，并使用 NCHS/WHO 参考值生成 z 分数。通过对儿童及其照顾者进行单独访谈收集粮食安全数据，并用于生成综合粮食安全得分。采用多元回归分析确定与粮食安全和营养结果相关的脆弱性因素。结果表明，孤儿比非孤儿更容易面临粮食不安全，而父亲一方的孤儿则是最脆弱的孤儿群体。然而，这些因素对衡量长期粮食短缺的营养状况没有显著影响。结果还表明，最脆弱的儿童是男孩、那些居住在社会经济地位最低的家庭中的儿童、有众多受抚养人的儿童、女性户主家庭和由人力资本（教育程度低）较低的成年人担任户主的家庭。本研究为制定政策和实践提供了有用的见解，以确定目标群体和干预方案，改善城市贫困社区中孤儿和弱势儿童的福利。
