Determinants of Teeanage pregnancy among girls aged 13-19 years in Pader District Uganda.

Abstract

Background: The teenage pregnancy prevalence is at the uppermost in Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 143 per 1000 in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been estimated that 13 million children are born to women under age 20 years globally annually and more than 90% of these happen in Sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the determinants of teenage pregnancy among girls aged 13-19 years in Pader district. Method: A descriptive cross sectional study was employed to assess the determinants of teenage pregnancy among girls aged 13-19 years in Pader district. A total of 200 teenagers in Pader district were included in this study using non probability, convenient sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 17. Result: From the assessment done the prevalence of teen pregnancy was high at 29.7%. staying with guardian (OR=2.26; 95%CI: 0.111, 3.666), staying with relatives (OR=2.0; 95%CI: 0.152, 6.087), experience dating (OR=2.8; 95%CI: 1.507, 5.204), substance use (OR=2.3; 95%CI: 1.245, 4.238), being in low economic status (OR=9.4; 95%CI: 3.582, 20.613), having a medium economic status (OR=3.5; 95%CI: .0126, 4.004), having cultural belief that influence early marriage (OR=8.5; 95%CI: 0.485, 17.977), and having peer pressure from boyfriends (OR=15.4 ; 95%CI: 2.111-30.251) were found to independently influence on teen pregnancy. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for sensitization and, information on teen pregnancy and improving on the socio-economic status interventions of the respondents to address the factors that influence of teenage pregnancy such as income level in order to decrease the rate of teenage pregnancy. ABSTRACT Background: The teenage pregnancy prevalence is at the uppermost in Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 143 per 1000 in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been estimated that 13 million children are born to women under age 20 years globally annually and more than 90% of these happen in Sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the determinants of teenage pregnancy among girls aged 13-19 years in Pader district. Method: A descriptive cross sectional study was employed to assess the determinants of teenage pregnancy among girls aged 13-19 years in Pader district. A total of 200 teenagers in Pader district were included in this study using non probability, convenient sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 17. Result: From the assessment done the prevalence of teen pregnancy was high at 29.7%. staying with guardian (OR=2.26; 95%CI: 0.111, 3.666), staying with relatives (OR=2.0; 95%CI: 0.152, 6.087), experience dating (OR=2.8; 95%CI: 1.507, 5.204), substance use (OR=2.3; 95%CI: 1.245, 4.238), being in low economic status (OR=9.4; 95%CI: 3.582, 20.613), having a medium economic status (OR=3.5; 95%CI: .0126, 4.004), having cultural belief that influence early marriage (OR=8.5; 95%CI: 0.485, 17.977), and having peer pressure from boyfriends (OR=15.4 ; 95%CI: 2.111-30.251) were found to independently influence on teen pregnancy. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for sensitization and, information on teen pregnancy and improving on the socio-economic status interventions of the respondents to address the factors that influence of teenage pregnancy such as income level in order to decrease the rate of teenage pregnancy.