Child labour and health: a systematic review

Brice Lionel Batomen Kuimi (), Oduro Oppong-Nkrumah, Jay Kaufman, Jose Ignacio Nazif-Munoz and Arijit Nandi
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Brice Lionel Batomen Kuimi: McGill University
Oduro Oppong-Nkrumah: McGill University
Jay Kaufman: McGill University
Jose Ignacio Nazif-Munoz: McGill University
Arijit Nandi: McGill University

International Journal of Public Health, 2018, vol. 63, issue 5, No 13, 663-672

Abstract: Abstract Objectives This study aimed to synthesise the available knowledge, identify unexplored areas and discuss general limits of the published evidence. We focused on outcomes commonly hypothesised to be affected by child labour: nutritional status, harmful exposures and injuries. Methods Four electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, ISI Web of Science) were searched in November 2017. All articles published since 1996, without restrictions on language, were considered for inclusion. Results Out of the 1090 abstracts initially identified by the search, 78 articles were selected for inclusion and reviewed. Most of the studies were conducted in Asia and South America, and only a third of them compared working children to a control group of non-working children. Child labour appears to be associated with poor nutritional status, diseases due to harmful exposures, and a higher prevalence of injuries. Conclusions Despite evidence for a negative relation between child work and health, the cross-sectional design of most studies limits the causal interpretation of existing findings. More rigorous observational studies are needed to confirm and better quantify these associations.

Keywords: Child labour; Child employment; Child welfare; Injury; Safety; Underweight; Harmful exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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DOI: 10.1007/s00038-018-1075-9

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