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The Impact of Orphanhood on Luo Children

Zidron, Amy M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1220921226

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Biological Sciences (Arts and Sciences).
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is creating a generation of orphaned children in Africa. In addition to the loss of a parent(s), orphaned children may face many hardships during their childhood including a decline in health, nutrition, and psychological well-being. The central goal of this dissertation is to investigate the impact of orphanhood on a group of Luo children. This goal is achieved by investigating four aspects of orphan life: nutritional status, physical health, mental health, and food intake and estimated energy expenditure. Four hundred eleven Luo children (9±1yr) were recruited from two districts in Nyanza Province, Kenya to participate in this research. Participants underwent an interview including the Beck's Depression Inventory for Youth (BDI-Y), anthropometric measurements, testing for anemia, a clinical history and physical exam, and a 24-hour dietary recall. Energy expenditure was estimated using an Actical® activity monitor. Variables were compared across groups using t-tests. All analyses were gender specific and the effect of length of orphanhood was also investigated. Few differences were found between orphaned and nonorphaned Luo children. No significant differences were found between anthropometric measurements, hemoglobin level, or health between orphans and nonorphans for either gender. Orphans had significantly higher BDI-Y raw scores than nonorphans (p<0.001). This was true for males (p<0.001) and females (p=0.005). Male orphans consumed significantly less fat (p=0.01) and protein (p=0.001) than male nonorphans. No significant differences were found between the two groups of males for the other food intake or the energy expenditure variables, and similar results were found for the females groups. Length of orphanhood was not correlated with any of the variables. This was true for both males and females. Overall, the Luo orphans who participated in this dissertation research do not appear to be disadvantaged when compared to nonorphans.
Gillian H. Ice, PhD (Advisor)
Audrone Biknevicius, PhD (Committee Member)
Anne Loucks, PhD (Committee Member)
Doug Mann, PhD (Committee Member)
Karen Montgomery-Reagan, DO (Committee Member)
196 p.
Health; Mental Health; Nutrition; Public Health; Social Research
orphans; HIV/AIDS; Kenya; nutritional status; health; depression

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Zidron, A. M. (2008). The Impact of Orphanhood on Luo Children [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1220921226

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Zidron, Amy. The Impact of Orphanhood on Luo Children. 2008. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1220921226.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Zidron, Amy. "The Impact of Orphanhood on Luo Children." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1220921226

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1220921226
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© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.