Orphans are an increasing problem in developing countries particularly in Africa; due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and needs collective effort in intervention processes by including all stakeholders right from the grass roots level. This paper attempts to present the role of traditional healers in psychosocial support for orphan children in Dar-es-Salaam City with special focus on those whose pare...

The detection of orphans, i.e. genes without homologs in other species, is important as it provides a glimpse on the evolutionary processes that create novel genes. However, for an unbiased view of such de novo gene creation the detection of orphans needs to be accurate. The estimation of orphanicity, and in general the age determination of any gene, is dependent on two factors: (i) a method to...

The problem of orphans is serious in sub-Saharan Africa and has been increasing with the deaths of both parents from AIDS. A study of six districts of Uganda conducted in 1992 investigated the problem. Almost all the orphans are cared for by their extended family members who made the decisions to do so. It is recommended that more assistance be given to the family to enhance its capacity to cop...

OBJECTIVE Comparing healthcare dynamics among orphans and non-orphans in an NGO supported and a non-supported sub-county so as to identify the level of equity. DESIGN AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional unmatched case-control research. A sample of 98 orphans and 98 non-orphans in an NGO supported sub-county and a similar number in a control sub-county participated. For each child, a corres...

Orphans are genes restricted to a single phylogenetic lineage and emerge at high rates. While this predicts an accumulation of genes, the gene number has remained remarkably constant through evolution. This paradox has not yet been resolved. Because orphan genes have been mainly analyzed over long evolutionary time scales, orphan loss has remained unexplored. Here we study the patterns of orpha...

Debate exists as to whether orphaned adolescents are more vulnerable than their non-orphaned peers to early sexual debut and marriage. I revisit this question by using data from the National Survey of Adolescents 2004, which targets adolescents, 12-19 years, in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda. Contrary to previous studies, I explore whether timing of orphanhood and HIV prevalence matter...

OBJECTIVE We examined several indicators of psychological health in a sample of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) to determine if there were significant differences between those orphaned by AIDS and those orphaned by other causes, and if there were gender differences. METHOD Our sample consisted of 119 young children (ages 6-10 years) who participated in a non-governmental organisation (...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the medical and dental health status of orphan children from 4 to 12-years-old, and compare them with children living with their parents. METHODS This analytical, cross-sectional study took place in 3 government orphanages and 3 ordinary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 2011 to January 2012. All orphans aged 4-12 year were selected (N=90). Ninety children living...

BACKGROUND To reduce HIV/AIDS related mortality of children, adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is critical in the treatment of HIV positive children. However, little is known about the association between ART adherence and different orphan status. The aims of this study were to assess the ART adherence and identify whether different orphan status was associated with the child's adhere...