THE EFFECT OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AMONG CHILDREN

1.1 Introduction

Illnesses caused by Communicable diseases are common in children in schools and other childcare settings. Socio-economic factors can increase the risk of outbreaks among children and adolescents in these settings. Some infectious diseases are communicable, i.e. can be transmit ted from one person to another, for example, via droplets, air suspensions, faeces, urine or skin-contact. Optimal control of communicable diseases requires information on the incubation period and period of infectiousness, to inform operative measures such as temporary exclusion from the community to prevent further exposure (Richardson et al., 2001).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Communicable diseases are as old as man and they constitute a great menace to human beings in every part of the world. They are one of the greatest problems facing children today. The diseases are silent killers unlike accident that kills instantly. Man has been trying to get rid of these diseases, for years but efforts made have proved partially abortive. Specifically, pre-school children (0-5 years old) are prone to communicable diseases because of their close interaction with one another, their non-discriminatory behaviours and also their low immunity power, disease that is transmitted through direct contact with an infected individual or indirectly through a vector are also called contagious disease.

Communicable Disease Definition

Communicable disease is often called contagious or infectious disease. Anderson (2000) defined a communicable disease as a disease that can be transmitted from one person to another or from lower animal to higher animal (man). He attributed the cause of these diseases to pathogenic microorganisms. Brain (2007) also noted that communicable diseases are infectious diseases that can be passed from person to another or from an animal to a person.

It is generally believed that nature harbours many microorganism which are very difficult to see with mere naked eyes except with the use of highly powerful microscopic lens. Those microorganisms which harm the human body are called pathogens. Udoh, Fawole, Ajala, Okafo & Nwana (2007) confirmed that pathogens that harm the body are popularly known as germs. These invade the tissues of the human host where they produce the condition called disease. These germs/pathogens (that is virus, bacteria, protozoan and metazoan) are mostly found in dirty places where the temperature and atmosphere support their existence.

Olaoye (2008) classified communicable diseases into four namely water borne disease, air borne diseases, insect borne and other diseases that are transmitted by contacts and arthropods. Brain (2007) stated that the best way of classifying communicable diseases is by their spread, and these are; air borne or droplet infections; faecal borne or gastro-intestina infections; transmission from animal, from insects and by contacts. Barbara and Bauirer (2007) identified three ways of transmitting communicable diseases as; transmission by contact, by vector and by air.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effect of Communicable Diseases among Children.

1.3 Statement of Problem

Home environment contribute to communicable diseases among school children. In the Africa culture the value of education is highly perfect, be it formal. If one take the formal education as a case study, the home or environment contribute a lot to the hygienic system of the child both of home and in school. As this could prevent some communicable disease that could have affected the pupils because, the sound foundation for future prevention of communicable diseases starts from home. Lack of care at home, some time cause unhealthy rivalry among pupils as it has a negative effect on the health of the child both of home school and its environment.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to find out the cause and effects of communicable diseases among children in Benin City. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to:

1. Determine the causes of communicable disease among children in Benin City.
2. Ascertain the effect of communicable disease among children in Benin City.
3. Determine ways to address the issues of communicable disease among children in Benin City.
4. Determine effect of poverty of parents to the spread of communicable diseases among children.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does lack of parental care lead to spread of communicable disease among children in Benin City?
• Does lack of health education lead to spread of communicable disease among children in Benin City?
• Can overcrowding of pupils in classrooms lead to the incidence of communicable disease among children in Benin City?
• Does poverty of parents lead to spread of communicable diseases among children?

1.6 Significance of Study

In carrying out the study, the researcher hoped that it would be of great benefit to the public in general and to the educational system in particular. It would help educate parents on how to handle their environment and the health of their children. This study will help school management in preventing the spread of communicable disease in school and how to help children suffering from such problems. Moreover it is hoped that it would help teachers to know how to handle such children when they experience difficulties.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.7 Scope of Study

This study is restricted to pupils from Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State Benin City. it is also limited to some six primary schools within the study area, which are located in urban and rural areas of the local government were used for the study. They are as follows:

1. Abiokula Primary School, Abudu
2. Adanko Primary School, Evbiboesi
3. Adenko Primary School, Ugo
4. Okogbo Primary School, Okogbo
5. Awannore Primary School, Evboesi
6. Obozogbe Primary School, Obozogbe

1.8 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.9 Definition of Terms

Bacteria: Constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a number of shapes, ranging from sphere to rods and spirals. Bacteria were among the first life forms to appear on earth, and are present in most of its habitats. Bacterial inhabit soil, water, acidic hot springs, radioactive waste, and the deep portions of earth's crust.

Communicable: (of a disease) able to be transmitted from one sufferer to another contagious or infectious.

Disease: A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury. A disease is a particular abnormal, pathological condition that affects part or all of an organism.

Endemic: in epidemiology, an infection is said to be endemic in a population when that infection is maintained in the population without the need for external inputs. For example, chickenpox is endemic (steady state) in the UK, but malaria is not. Every year, there are a few cases of malaria acquired in the UK, but these do not lead to sustained transmission in the population due to the lack of a suitable vector.

Hazard: A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment.

Sporadic: Appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time, occasional, sporadic renewals of enthusiasms. Appearing in scattered or isolated instances, as a disease, isolated as a single instance of something, being or occurring apart from others occurring singly or widely apart in locality; the sporadic growth of plants.