Education and Nutritional Status of Orphans and Children of HIV-Infected Parents in Kenya (English)

Document Type

Working Papers

Publication Topic(s)

Education, HIV, HIV Prevalence, HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior

Country(s)

Kenya

Survey

Kenya DHS, 2003

Language

English

Author(s)

Vinod Mishra, Fred Arnold, Fredrick Otieno, Anne Cross, Rahavuth Hong and ORC Macro, Calverton, Maryland, USA

Publication Date

August 2005

Publication ID

WP24

Abstract:

This report examines how school attendance and nutritional status differ between orphaned and fostered children and between children of HIV-infected parents and non HIV-infected parents in Kenya. The analysis is based on data on 2,756 children age 0-4 and 4,172 children age 6-14 included in the 2003 Kenya DHS. Results show that orphaned and fostered children age 6-14 are significantly less likely to be attending school than non-orphaned, non-fostered children of HIV-negative parents. Children of HIV-infected parents are significantly less likely to be attending school, more likely to be malnourished and less likely to receive treatment for ARI and diarrhea than children of non-HIV-infected parents. Children of non-HIV-infected single mothers are more disadvantaged in nutrition, health care, and school than children who live with both non-HIV-infected parents.