Intra-household differences in the reported experiences of elementary and middle school-aged orphans when compared with co-resident non-orphans in Haitian households

Abstract

There is continued concern that orphans may experience additional risks and disadvantages across multiple domains when compared with non-orphans. The concern for orphan vulnerability extends to differential treatment in the households where orphans reside. This exploratory study assesses if the Haitian households that care for elementary and middle school-aged orphans and co-resident non-orphans treat children differently based on their orphan status. It seeks to understand if, and to what extent, orphan care-giving family characteristics such as household, head of household, and child characteristics moderate intra-household experiences between orphans and co-resident non-orphans to impact orphans' mosquito net usage, years reported attending school, hours spent fetching water or wood, and hours spent performing domestic household work. Secondary data analysis of the 2012 DHS survey in Haiti was conducted. Six hundred ten households with elementary and middle school-aged orphans and co-resident non-orphans were analyzed for intra-household differences through matched pairs t-test, multivariate analysis of covariance, and univariate analysis of covariance. The findings indicate that there are intra-household differences in the reported experiences of orphans when compared to their co-resident non-orphans for mosquito net usage, years attended school, hours spent fetching water or wood, and hours spent performing domestic household work. However, the amount of intra-household difference between orphans and co-resident non-orphans is minimal and should be interpreted with caution. The findings suggest that different combinations of household size, household wealth, orphan gender, and an orphan's relatedness to their head of household can predict intra-household differences for reported mosquito net usage, years attended school, and hours spent performing domestic household work. No factors in the present study could predict differences in hours spent fetching water or wood. Moderating variables explained very little about intra-household differences. Although the findings of this study do not offer clear implications for policy or practice, implications for further assessment of intra-household differences and family functioning in international settings and in Haiti are specifically discussed.