Health status of working children in Jordan: Comparison between working and nonworking children at schools and industrial sites

Ayman M. Hamdan-Mansour, Ekhlas Al-Gamal, Mai K. Sultan, Reema Matrouk, Maram Al Nawaiseh

Al-Bashir Hospital, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan.
Department of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
The National Council for Family Affairs, Amman, Jordan.

DOI: 10.4236/ojn.2013.31007                

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the psychosocial and physical health impact of child labor and in Jordan and compare between working and nonworking children at schools and industrial sites. Methods: A sample of 4008 children at schools and industrial sites answered the self-report questionnaires that include physical and psychosocial health concerns, health screening survey, anger expression and child abuse survey. The results showed that both nonschool and school working children have various physical and psychosocial health problems. Physical complaints included common cold, flu, hearing and vision problems. Psychosocial ones included feeling lonely, feeling depressed, problems at home and work, and high level of anger expression, smoking cigarettes and using drugs. The study’s implications for health, education, counseling, and research interventions were discussed.

Keywords

Child Labor; School Children; Psychosocial Health; Child Abuse; Physical Health; Jordan

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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