Cultural practices and the health of 0-15 years children in Nigeria: The role of community health practitioners

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International Journal of Development Research

Cultural practices and the health of 0-15 years children in Nigeria: The role of community health practitioners

Abstract: 

People’s cultural practices do not only affect their health, but every other facet of life of the people including health and disease. People living in an environment are interactive with such environment and therefore, affected by what happens and how they react to occurrences. This implies that the deterrents and determinants of health and disease in a community cannot be completed unless the cultural practices of the people are considered. Many cultural practices have helped to promote and increase the prevalence of certain diseases and health problems in Nigeria. This is not to say all cultural practices and beliefs are bad.  In this work, we have endeavored to bring out how the cultural practices of a people affects the health of children 0-15 years old in Nigeria. We have also highlighted some of the important cultural practices that affect their health positively or negatively in Nigeria. Most of these negative practices are due to ignorance and absence or near absence of better alternatives. Efforts should be made to encourage those practices that promote health and then, through the provision of appropriate information and better health care services, discourage those that harm human health (children 0-15yearsold).

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