Health Outcomes of Child Labour in Ghana

Abstract

The study examined the effect of child labour and health outcomes on children between 5-17 years. The Ghana Living Standard Survey of round six of the child labour data was adopted, which involved 14,062 children from 16772 households. The study considered household, child, and community variables for which the probit regression model was the estimation technique. Generally, the findings of the study showed that child labour hours, household head education, household wealth quintiles (4th, 3rd, 2nd), local area, accessibility and usage of pipe water and flushing toilet facilities, child relationship to household head are important variables that have the possibility of affecting the injury/illness of the child. Hence, increases in child labour hours significantly have adverse health outcomes. It is recommended that the district assemblies must sensitize and educate the public on the hazardous nature of child labour activities and the likely health implications on children’s welfare.