Sexual behaviours and drug use among the street children

Abstract

Background The aim of the study was to describe the HIV and STD risk behaviours among the street children. Methods This is a descriptive cross sectional study in which convenient sampling technique was adopted. Results Among the 100 conveniently chosen street children, 74 were Indians and 26 were Nepalese. Ninety-one children were Hindu, 80 were above 12 years of age with the mean age and SD 14.74 +/- 2.77, 72 had some education, 54 children at present worked as hawkers and servants at shops and 69 had a daily income between Rs. 30-90. Forty-two subjects had sexual exposure at various age with either girlfriend or prostitute in which two subjects were homosexual. Seventy subjects were substance/s abusers, which included 49 alcohol abusers, 48 smokers, 42 tobacco chewers, 3 injectable drug abusers and 51 various other types of substance/s abusers. Majority of the children were uncertain about the amount and frequency of the substance/s they abuse except the tobacco chewers where majority i.e. 28 chew one or two packets of tobacco per week. Discussion It is concluded that the street children are in high risk for HIV and STD infection. The study was supported by various other studies conducted in Asia, Africa and Europe.