Study to Assess Physical Health Status of Children at Selected Orphanage in Salem, Chennai – India

Abstract

Orphanages are a vulnerable group in any socio-economic setting simply because they are deprived of one or both of their primary care givers. The level of vulnerability they face however increases significantly with the level of poverty. In India below 18’s population is 42,06,78,000 among them 2,57,00,000 are orphan children. That constitute a major part of the below 18’s population (UNICEF, 2005). Orphans are a group of underprivileged population in society. The evidence from the pediatric and child psychiatry literature makes clear that orphanages are neither an effective nor a humane mode of assistance to infants and families. Orphans are some of the most underprivileged children in the world. With few exceptions, children without parents are deprived of many of the basic rights such as food, shelter, education, and a family environment. Orphanage children are deprived of their primary care givers thus more prone to physical health problems.