Summative Approach for Slum Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Urban slums in India are neglected communities as far as public health facilities are concerned. There is no health infrastructure since these slums are largely illegal and unauthorized. This community has poor awareness of health schemes and other social security benefits provided by the government. No initiatives have been taken to provide vocational training to empower this economically weaker and neglected section of the society. Objectives: To generate health awareness among the slum adolescents on various issues related to health, especially menstrual hygiene, personal hygiene, household methods of water purification as well as safe disposal of waste and also make them economically independent. Methodology: A summer workshop was conducted for a period of one week by MBBS students in the urban slums of Bhangel, during the summer vacations time of school going children. Two groups of slum adolescents were recognized. One group had younger adolescents and the other had older adolescents who acted as guides for the younger group. Health awareness sessions were conducted for these children everyday on community relevant health topics like personal hygiene, menstrual hygiene, water purification techniques, etc., along with teaching them some vocational skills like first aid box making, mehendi application, lipstick making, making of dust bins, etc. They were also taught marketing and selling skills. Both these groups were asked to identify another group of young adolescents and teach them what they learnt in the workshop, under observation of the medical students. Results: On comparing the pre and post workshop assessment, the results were very encouraging. Conclusion: Marked improvement was observed in the knowledge levels related to health issues and vocational independence could be promoted. However, there is a need to explore the possibility of replicating the same at a larger scale.