Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Civic Engagement Among Orphans And Non-Orphans In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Christine L. Gray, Brian W. Pence, Lynne C. Messer, Jan Ostermann, Rachel A. Whetten, Nathan M. Thielman, Karen O'Donnell, Kathryn Whetten

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Communities and nations seeking to foster social responsibility in their youth are interested in understanding factors that predict and promote youth involvement in public activities. Orphans and separated children (OSC) are a vulnerable population whose numbers are increasing, particularly in resource-poor settings. Understanding whether and how OSC are engaged in civic activities is important for community and world leaders who need to provide care for OSC and ensure their involvement in sustainable development.

Methods: The Positive Outcomes for Orphans study (POFO) is a multi-country, longitudinal cohort study of OSC randomly sampled from institution-based care and from family-based care, and …

Potentially Traumatic Experiences And Sexual Health Among Orphaned And Separated Adolescents In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Christine L. Gray, Kathryn Whetten, Lynne C. Messer, Rachel A. Whetten, Jan Ostermann, Karen O'Donnell, Nathan M. Thielman, Brian W. Pence

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Orphans and separated children (OSC) are a vulnerable population whose numbers are increasing, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Over 153 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents, including 17 million orphaned by AIDS, and millions more have been separated from their parents. As younger orphans enter adolescence, their sexual health and HIV-related risk behaviors become key considerations for their overall health. Importantly, their high prevalence of exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) may put OSC at additional risk for adverse sexual health outcomes. The Positive Outcomes for Orphans study followed OSC randomly sampled from institution-based care and …