Health conditions and epidemiological profile of institutionalized children and adolescents

• Autor(a) principal: Sin Singer Brugiolo, Alessa
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Pacheco Martins, Kamila, Athayde da Silva, Mariana, Silva Santos, Thamires Gabriela, Palermo Ferreira, Mariana Cristina, Cesário Defilipo, Érica
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: HU Revista (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufjf.br/index.php/hurevista/article/view/40258
• topic: health profile; child; institutionalization; orphanages; Perfil de Saúde; Criança Acolhida; Saúde da Criança Institucionalizada; Orfanatos

Introduction: The child population is often the victim of mistreatment, violence, and neglect on the part of family members, which threatens their physical and emotional integrity, remaining the alternative of shelter in child institutions for protection and care. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the health conditions and the epidemiological profile of the institutionalized child population. Methods: This is a cross-sectional and retrospective study, based on the collection of data from medical records and other documents of children and adolescents admitted to a children's shelter institution in the municipality of Governador Valadares, Brazil, between January 2016 and December 2019. Results: During this period, 105 children and adolescents were housed, most of them female, up to 4 years old, and without a diagnosed health condition. For the majority of those, there was no information about the gestational history and birth data. The use of alcohol and/or drugs by parents, neglect, abandonment, and violence were the most frequent reasons for institutionalization. Most children and adolescents did not have information about vaccination, did not attend school, and did not have any indication for psychological monitoring. Most of the children and adolescents remained in shelter institutions for up to one year, had siblings also sheltered, and were either reintegrated into the family or adopted by family members. Conclusions: The results of this study may contribute to support the implementation of public policies that minimize social vulnerability, avoiding institutional care and its negative impacts on child development.