After completing this module, youth will be able to practice the knowledge how to keep healthy particularly while they are away from home or during migration. They will learn specifically on how to access health care services, reproductive health and basic/personal hygiene.

Learning Objective(s)

Staying Healthy

Health is the most important factor that enhances success or failure among migrants. It is logic that if they get sick or unable to work, they could not earn money. Generally adolescent are at risks with sexual relationship, STDs and HIV infected and prenatal care. In addition most of them who are industry workers get affects from chemical substance and poor working environment. The top risks usually happen among migrants who have lack practical knowledge of basic/personal hygiene, reproductive health and how to accessing health care services

Snapshots

Basic/ personal hygiene is very important. You can help your self being healthy and prevent from diseases by practicing the following activities.

Subtopic1: Basic/personal hygiene

Wash before eating

Wash before going to bed especially between toes and

fingers

Subtopic1: Basic/personal hygiene (cont…)

Clean your nails weekly

Subtopic1: Basic/personal hygiene (cont…)

Wash your hair but don’t use shampoo too often

Not Everyday

Subtopic1: Basic/personal hygiene (cont…)

Brush your teeth twice a day

Subtopic1: Basic/personal hygiene (cont…)

Wash your hands after going to the toilet

Subtopic1: Basic/personal hygiene (cont…)

Self Test 1

Below statements are about basic and personal hygiene. Fill the gap with the correct word in the box.

Mouth, Food, Hair care, hands and feet, sneezing and coughing, dirt, sharing, clothes

1)___________that you don’t wash or cook in clean water likely has germs or bacteria. 

2) In your ___________and on your teeth there are many bacteria living, brushing your teeth will reduce them and keep your body and teeth healthy. 

3) Your __________come in contact with many things. Before you eat, and after you went to the toilet, always wash your hands. Especially under your nails, many bacteria are living. You need to clean your feet at least once a day, especially between the toes.  

4) Washing your ______________ is also important. You can do this every second day. Don’t do this every day with a lot of shampoo. That is not good for your scalp.

Below statements are about basic and personal hygiene. Fill the gap with the correct word in the box.

Mouth, Food, Hair care, hands and feet, sneezing and coughing, dirt, sharing, clothes

5) _____________the same cups for water and dishes will spread bacteria very fast. Don’t do this, bring your own or wash before you use 

6) _______________will spread bacteria, especially when you are already sick. Wearing a mask or turning your head and covering your mouth will prevent them from reaching others. 

7) Your sweat and body attracts germs that also live and multiply in your ____________. Changing them, even when you don’t sweat, will keep you healthier. 

8)_______________ garbage and waste water that is not removed is a source of diseases. Flies will spread them fast. Therefore you need to keep your environment clean. Throw garbage in a dustbin away from where you work or live.

Self Test 1 (cont…)

Awareness on High-Risk Behavior and STDs

It is generally found that in migration situation, youth/young migrants challenge high risk for infection from STDs/HIVs, particularly who are sexually active engaging in one or more of the following high-risk behaviors.

Subtopic2: Reproductive Health

Being sexually active with more than one person. This includes having a series of sexual relationships with one person at a time. However, being sexually active with even one partner puts a person at risk. Most teens are unaware of a partner's past behavior and whether he or she already has an STD.

Subtopic2: Reproductive Health (Cont.)

Engaging in either unprotected or protected sex. Barrier protection is not 100 percent effective in preventing the transmission of STDs, and it is not effective at all against HPV-the human papillomavirus. Abstinence from sexual activity is the only method that is 100 percent effective in preventing STDs

Selecting high-risk partners

Such partners include those with a history of being sexually active with more than one person and those who have injected illegal drugs

Using alcohol and other drugs

Alcohol use can lower inhibitions. In a recent survey, more than 25 percent of teens who engaged in sexual activity had been under the influence of alcohol or drug use.

Awareness on the Consequences of STDs

Most people, including teens, are not fully aware of the conse quences of sexual transmitted disease (STDs). These are serious infections that can dramatically change the course of a person's life.

• Some STDs such as HIV/AIDS cannot be eliminated from the body by medical treatment, such as antibiotics.

• Some STDs cause cancer such as the hepatitis B virus can cause cancer of the liver. The human papilloma virus (HPV) can cause cancer of the cervix. These STDs also cannot be cured and may last a lifetime.

• Some STDs can use complications that affect the ability to reproduce. Females can develop pelvic inflam matory disease (PID), which damages reproductive organs and can cause sterility.

• Some STDs can be passed from an infected female to her child before, during, or after birth. STDs can damage the bones, nervous system, and brain of a fetus. Premature births can result, and infants infected with STDs at delivery may become blind or develop pneumonia and some may die.

Subtopic2: Reproductive Health (Cont.)

Self Test 2

No. Statement True False

1 Some STDs such as HIV/AIDS cannot be eliminated from the body by medical treatment, such as antibiotics.

  

  

2 Some STDs cause cancer such as the hepatitis B virus can cause cancer of the liver. The human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cancer of the cervix. These STDs also can be cured and will disappear in one time soon.

  

  

3 Some STDs can use complications that affect the ability to reproduce. Females can develop pelvic inflam matory disease (PID), which damages reproductive organs and can cause sterility.

  

  

4 Some STDs can be passed from an infected female to her child before, during, or after birth. STDs can damage the bones, nervous system, and brain of a fetus. Premature births can result, and infants infected with STDs at delivery may become blind or develop pneumonia and some may die.

  

  

Check True or False next to each sentence

Know how to access health care services is very important particularly when you move to new place. Follow the Health Smart Guide below to help you when you have health problem:

Subtopic3: Accessing Health Care Services

•Seek information about health care services at the new place/ community in advance

•Make sure that you know what type of health services there. Are there any health services about general disease, reproductive health, emergency help, dental care, midwives or other specialize services.

•You should know what health services available for the poor or migrants.

Subtopic3: Accessing Health Care Services (cont…)

•You should know what health services available for the poor or migrants.

•You should not buy medicine at the pharmacy without consulting with doctors/ specialists. It can be destructive when you take wrong medicine.

•You should not be shy to consult with doctor/specialist if you have problem of reproductive health. Some case it is not simple. It can be

dangerous to death.

Subtopic3: Accessing Health Care Services (cont…)

• If you documented migrant worker or work in particularly industry, please ask your employer about your rights to health care service.

•You can find first aids medicine or equipment at work place and should have it with or at home when you need it urgently.

Subtopic3: Accessing Health Care Services (cont…)

•Where can you access to health care services?

It is really important to know where health care services are. If you migrant within Cambodia, you can find public health care

services such as health center, referral hospital and any state hospitals and private health care services.

• In Phnom Penh, there are some health care services that also target garment workers for providing referral services, such as RHAC Association and Marie Stop International Cambodia.

Subtopic3: Accessing Health Care Services (cont…)

In case you are living and working away from these health care services, you can call to the hot line to ask for health information intervention.

•Migrants can also read or download the education and

communication material from RHAC at the following addresses.

• General publication

http://www.rhac.org.kh/publication.php

• STDs:

http://www.rhac.org.kh/uploadfile/pub_54_7-STD.pdf

• HIVS/AIDS:

http://www.rhac.org.kh/uploadfile/pub_49_2-HIVAIDS.pdf

• Puberty:

http://www.rhac.org.kh/uploadfile/pub_53_6-Puberty.pdf 

• Marie Stopes International Cambodia

http://www.mariestopes.org.kh

http://www.mariestopes.org.kh/our-hotline

Subtopic3: Accessing Health Care Services (cont…)

Subtopic3: Accessing Health Care Services (cont…)

Self Test 3

No. Statement Agree Disagree

1 It is not so important to be ready to know the place of health care service. 

 

 

2 It is smart that I should buy medicine at pharmacy or grocery store when I get sick. 

 

 

3 It is smart if I can find free or cheap service from other NGOs, Association where they can help the poor people. 

 

 

4 If I work in the farm or forest where remotes from the health center/ services, I should know how to prevent from disease such as malaria, dengue, etc. 

 

 

Put Agree or Disagree beside the statement about accessing health care