This study examines the relationship between economic resources, psychosocial well-being, and educational preferences of AIDS-orphaned children in southern Uganda. We use baseline data from a sample of 1410 AIDS-orphaned children (defined as children who have lost one or both biological parents to AIDS) enrolled in the Bridges to the Future study, a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) funded study. Analyses from both bivariate and multiple regression analyses indicate the following: 1) despite the well-documented economic and psychosocial challenges AIDS-orphaned children face, many of these children have high educational plans and aspirations; 2) educational aspirations differ by orphanhood status (double orphan vs. single orphan); 3) regardless of orphanhood status, children report similar levels of psychosocial well-being; 4) high levels of family cohesion, positive perceptions of the future, school satisfaction, and lower levels of hopelessness (hopefulness) are associated with high educational aspirations; and 5) reported family economic resources at baseline, all seem to play a role in predicting children's educational preferences and psychosocial well-being. These findings suggest that the focus for care and support of orphaned children should not be limited to addressing their psychosocial needs. Addressing the economic needs of the households in which orphaned children live is equally important. Indeed, in the context of extreme poverty—in which most of the children represented in this study live—addressing structural factors, including poverty, may be a key driver in addressing their psychosocial functioning.

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Background Despite global interventions to prevent and control diarrhea, it still remains a public health problem leading to childhood morbidity and mortality majorly in developing countries. In Uganda, diarrhea is amongst the five leading causes of under-five mortality, contributing to more than 140,000 deaths every year and this accounts for 7.1% of all under-five mortalities in Uganda. Efforts to prevent and lower diarrheal diseases need to be informed by data on determinants of diarrhea. The study assessed factors associated with diarrheal diseases among children below five years in selected slum settlements in Entebbe municipality, Wakiso District, Uganda. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional study design covering 384 randomly selected households having children < 5 years old in the study area using quantitative research methods. Data was collected using close-ended questionnaires and diarrhea disease history was captured for the last month before the survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the risk factors associated with childhood diarrhea considering a 95% confidence level. Results The prevalence of Diarrhea disease in children among the selected slum settlements in Entebbe municipality was found to be at 62.4%. Access to water from a protected water source (deep well and borehole), presence of a vent in toilets, age, and child birth weight were found to be significantly associated with diarrheal diseases among children below five years in the selected slum settlements in Entebbe municipality. Conclusion The prevalence of childhood diarrhea among children < 5 years of age in selected slums of Entebbe municipality was found high. Use of water from a protected source, presence of a vent in toilets, age, child birth and weight were identified as predictors of diarrhea occurrence. These findings imply that community health education is urgently needed for fighting childhood diarrhea in the study area to eliminate the predisposing factors to diarrhea.

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