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Children
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Health Promotion for Children from the Rural and Indigenous Communities
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Health Promotion for Children from the Rural and Indigenous Communities

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Pediatric Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 February 2025) | Viewed by 6021

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kebogile Elizabeth Mokwena

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
Interests: postpartum depression; substance-related disorders; HIV; child health
Prof. Dr. Mathildah Mpata Mokgatle

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
Interests: HIV in children; health promotion; wellbeing of orphans

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion set health promotion as a globally accepted strategy to guide health and social services. Health promotion principles can be effectively applied for all age groups across all income group categories in both rural and urban areas. Health promotion is especially conducive for low socio-economic groups, where its community empowerment component emerges as a significant advantage.

The Special Issue aims to produce papers on a range of children-oriented interventions, with a special focus on rural and indigenous communities across the globe.

Conducting health promotion to improve health outcomes for children requires innovation that will accommodate the children’s developmental stages and literacy levels, and often integrates the characteristics of the parents.

We solicit a range of papers which will include the development and/or implementation of health promotion and health education interventions, program evaluation, and school-based programs.

Dr. Kebogile Elizabeth Mokwena
Prof. Dr. Mathildah Mpata Mokgatle
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • children
  • health promotion programs
  • parents
  • health education programs
  • rural communities
  • indigenous communities
  • school based interventions
  • orphans and vulnerable children

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1826 KiB  
Article
Well-Being and Healthcare Inequality on Bulon-Don Island in Southern Thailand—Results of a Pre-Intervention Field Survey
by Chutarat Sathirapanya, Suweena Khwanmad and Pornchai Sathirapanya
Children 2024, 11(10), 1217; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11101217 - 6 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1340
Abstract
Background and objectives: Children living in an area distant from or associated with barriers to travelling to health service centres usually experience health and well-being disparities. This is a survey of child health and well-being on Bulon-Don Island, located 22 kms. from the [...] Read more.
Background and objectives: Children living in an area distant from or associated with barriers to travelling to health service centres usually experience health and well-being disparities. This is a survey of child health and well-being on Bulon-Don Island, located 22 kms. from the southern mainland of Thailand, to gather essential background data before activating responses from local service provider agencies. Methods: Demographic data, physical and crude psychological health, harm to health, and living conditions of Bulon-Don children aged 1–14 years were studied and compared with the results of the corresponding national child health survey. Descriptive statistics were used for the statistical analysis of significance (p < 0.05). Results: A total of 21 male and 41 female children (N = 62) participated in the survey after obtaining consents from parents or care providers. The islanders are Indigenous people who use their own languages and have traditional beliefs. Comparing with the children of the national survey, most children aged <5 years were found to have significantly lower height and weight according to their age (p = 0.044 and p = 0.043, respectively), whereas those aged >5 years had a similar nutritional status. In addition, there is a lack of facilities for healthy living. However, the mean total psychological and ethical standards scores were significantly higher in the 1–5 and 6–9-year-old children. Conclusions: Disparity of socio-political status, cultural beliefs and practices, socioeconomic basis, and geographic distance from the mainland were the social determinants and barriers of low health service accessibility for the islander children. Comprehensive child health and well-being evaluation in an enclave of isolation like this is mandatory before an integrated intervention carried out by the local healthcare and living facilities providers is implemented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Promotion for Children from the Rural and Indigenous Communities)
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11 pages, 534 KiB  
Article
The Use of Non-Prescribed Medicines in Infants from Birth to Six Months in Rural Areas of Polokwane Municipality—Limpopo Province, South Africa
by Maishataba Solomon Makwela, Eric Maimela, Makoma Melicca Bopape and Reneilwe Given Mashaba
Children 2024, 11(4), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11040434 - 5 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1981
Abstract
The WHO and UNICEF recommend that only breastmilk, vitamin drops, oral rehydration solution, and prescribed medicine can go through the infant’s mouth. Non-prescribed medications (NPM) include over-the-counter medications and traditional medicine and are contraindicated during infancy. Furthermore, the updated exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) indicator [...] Read more.
The WHO and UNICEF recommend that only breastmilk, vitamin drops, oral rehydration solution, and prescribed medicine can go through the infant’s mouth. Non-prescribed medications (NPM) include over-the-counter medications and traditional medicine and are contraindicated during infancy. Furthermore, the updated exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) indicator details that herbal fluids and similar traditional medicines are counted as fluids, and infants who consume these are not exclusively breastfed. However, the use of these items is common among caregivers for various reasons, including religious reasons, cultural beliefs, prevention of diseases, and the treatment of diseases. The practice of administering NPM before six months of age undermines exclusive breastfeeding and can result in undesirable health outcomes. Methods: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of NPM, describe the types of medications used, and explain why caregivers use NMP in infants younger than six months of age. A quantitative approach and a facility-based cross-sectional survey were used to conduct this study. Convenience sampling was used to select clinics, and proportionality and simple random sampling were used to select 146 participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS (29). A p-value of p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: In this study, the prevalence of NPM was 75.3%. Of the 146 participants, most were 25–35 years old (54%) and first-time mothers (36.3%). More caregivers had high school and matric (67.1%), and 84.2% of caregivers delivered in public health facilities. Almost three-quarters are unemployed (66.7%) and on a child support grant (56.4%). About 43.6% of infants received NPM within the first month of life. The main source of advice to give NPM was family members (86.4%). The main reasons for administering NPM were the treatment of the umbilical cord (57.3%) and the prevention of colic (32.7%). The results show a statistically significant association between the administration of medication and the age of the infant, p < 0.005. Conclusions: Non-prescribed medications are highly prevalent in the rural areas of Polokwane and are practiced by caregivers between the ages of 25–35 years advised by the families. Access to self-medication should be controlled, especially in the first month of life. Interventions to reduce the use of NPM should be targeted at young mothers and their families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Promotion for Children from the Rural and Indigenous Communities)
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9 pages, 213 KiB  
Article
Motor Development of Children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Parent Survey
by Francesca Policastro, Nizar Bakir Yahya, Alessandra Rossi, Giorgia Silli, Giovanni Galeoto and Nezar Ismet Taib
Children 2024, 11(2), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11020162 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1484
Abstract
The actual literature highlights the importance of the socio-cultural context in the development of children. However, there is a lack of specific evidence about the middle East, especially regarding the development of Kurdish children who are living in a post-war scenario, in a [...] Read more.
The actual literature highlights the importance of the socio-cultural context in the development of children. However, there is a lack of specific evidence about the middle East, especially regarding the development of Kurdish children who are living in a post-war scenario, in a country which is experiencing continuous instability due to the different crises. The main aim of this study is to identify the features of the motor development of Kurdish children according to parents’ opinion. A comparison with Italian children is provided as a Western example, which reflects data from the literature. In the study, 331 parents of Kurdish and Italian children aged between 3 and 7 years were involved. Parents filled the questionnaire at kindergartens, after providing consent. The questionnaire was conceptualized, designed, tested and provided ad hoc for this study; it focused on the timing of development, concerning major milestones like head control, sitting and standing-up. The questionnaire consists of 15 questions and has not been standardized yet. A logistic regression showed several differences between Kurdish and Italian children, like head control (p = 0.007) or the manipulation of big objects (p < 0.0001). These results identify the effect of the socio-cultural context and the impact of the growing environment of the child. Moreover, the results of this survey show the need for introducing different adapted, translated and validated assessment tools for motor development, considering differences related to the socio-cultural context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Promotion for Children from the Rural and Indigenous Communities)

Review

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15 pages, 593 KiB  
Review
Otitis Media in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition: A Scoping Review
by Casey Jane Eslick, Samantha Govender, Senamile Ntuli, Beleza Rikhotso, Lufuno Zwivhuya Mabada and Selaelo Matjena
Children 2025, 12(4), 397; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12040397 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 487
Abstract
Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) increases susceptibility to infections, including otitis media (OM). Research establishes the association between malnutrition and OM. Objectives: This scoping review specifically explored the prevalence, risk factors, co-morbidities, and management strategies for OM in children under 5 [...] Read more.
Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) increases susceptibility to infections, including otitis media (OM). Research establishes the association between malnutrition and OM. Objectives: This scoping review specifically explored the prevalence, risk factors, co-morbidities, and management strategies for OM in children under 5 years with SAM with the goal of identifying future research directions to address gaps in the literature. Methods: A scoping review methodology was adopted to identify the English literature published since 2014. The Arskey and O’Malley framework and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were followed. EBSCOhost, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched using keywords to refine the search. Results: Seven papers met the inclusion criteria, showing limited studies were available on the topic. Four deductive themes, including prevalence, risk factors, co-morbidities and management strategies, were explored. None of the studies suggested the role of an audiologist in SAM management. Conclusions: Children with SAM face an increased risk of OM due to multiple factors. Associated hearing loss underscores the importance of community-based interventions. Interprofessional collaboration, community education, and integrating audiologists can enhance early OM detection and management for children with SAM. Prospective research and education on audiologists’ roles in SAM management can promote health outcomes in this vulnerable population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Promotion for Children from the Rural and Indigenous Communities)
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