Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health Survey
Abstract Background Despite the high rate of teenage pregnancy in Nigeria and host of negative medical, social and economic consequences that are associated with the problem, relatively few studies have examined socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy. Understanding the key factors associated...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14146-0 |
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| author | Chijioke Ifeanyi Okoli Mohammad Hajizadeh Mohammad Mafizur Rahman Eswaran Velayutham Rasheda Khanam |
| author_facet | Chijioke Ifeanyi Okoli Mohammad Hajizadeh Mohammad Mafizur Rahman Eswaran Velayutham Rasheda Khanam |
| author_sort | Chijioke Ifeanyi Okoli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Despite the high rate of teenage pregnancy in Nigeria and host of negative medical, social and economic consequences that are associated with the problem, relatively few studies have examined socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy. Understanding the key factors associated with socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy is essential in designing effective policies for teenage pregnancy reduction. This study focuses on measuring inequality and identifying factors explaining socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria. Methods This is a cross sectional study using individual recode (data) file from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey. The dataset comprises a representative sample of 8,423 women of reproductive age 15 – 19 years in Nigeria. The normalized Concentration index (Cn) was used to determine the magnitude of inequalities in teenage pregnancy. The Cn was decomposed to determine the contribution of explanatory factors to socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria. Results The negative value of the Cn (-0.354; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.400 to -0.308) suggests that pregnancy is more concentrated among the poor teenagers. The decomposition analysis identified marital status, wealth index of households, exposure to information and communication technology, and religion as the most important predictors contributing to observed concentration of teenage pregnancy in Nigeria. Conclusion There is a need for targeted intervention to reduce teenage pregnancy among low socioeconomic status women in Nigeria. The intervention should break the intergenerational cycle of low socioeconomic status that make teenagers’ susceptible to unintended pregnancy. Economic empowerment is recommended, as empowered girls are better prepared to handle reproductive health issues. Moreover, religious bodies, parents and schools should provide counselling, and guidance that will promote positive reproductive and sexual health behaviours to teenagers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T08:19:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1886ce803d224c188df854054cc0e62f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T08:19:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1886ce803d224c188df854054cc0e62f2022-12-22T02:04:14ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-09-0122111110.1186/s12889-022-14146-0Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health SurveyChijioke Ifeanyi Okoli0Mohammad Hajizadeh1Mohammad Mafizur Rahman2Eswaran Velayutham3Rasheda Khanam4School of Business, and Centre for Health Research, University of Southern QueenslandSchool of Health Administration, Dalhousie UniversitySchool of Business, and Centre for Health Research, University of Southern QueenslandCollege for Indigenous Studies, Education and Research, University of Southern QueenslandSchool of Business, and Centre for Health Research, University of Southern QueenslandAbstract Background Despite the high rate of teenage pregnancy in Nigeria and host of negative medical, social and economic consequences that are associated with the problem, relatively few studies have examined socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy. Understanding the key factors associated with socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy is essential in designing effective policies for teenage pregnancy reduction. This study focuses on measuring inequality and identifying factors explaining socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria. Methods This is a cross sectional study using individual recode (data) file from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey. The dataset comprises a representative sample of 8,423 women of reproductive age 15 – 19 years in Nigeria. The normalized Concentration index (Cn) was used to determine the magnitude of inequalities in teenage pregnancy. The Cn was decomposed to determine the contribution of explanatory factors to socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria. Results The negative value of the Cn (-0.354; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.400 to -0.308) suggests that pregnancy is more concentrated among the poor teenagers. The decomposition analysis identified marital status, wealth index of households, exposure to information and communication technology, and religion as the most important predictors contributing to observed concentration of teenage pregnancy in Nigeria. Conclusion There is a need for targeted intervention to reduce teenage pregnancy among low socioeconomic status women in Nigeria. The intervention should break the intergenerational cycle of low socioeconomic status that make teenagers’ susceptible to unintended pregnancy. Economic empowerment is recommended, as empowered girls are better prepared to handle reproductive health issues. Moreover, religious bodies, parents and schools should provide counselling, and guidance that will promote positive reproductive and sexual health behaviours to teenagers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14146-0Teenage pregnancySocioeconomic inequalitiesConcentration curveConcentration indexDecomposition analysisNigeria |
| spellingShingle | Chijioke Ifeanyi Okoli Mohammad Hajizadeh Mohammad Mafizur Rahman Eswaran Velayutham Rasheda Khanam Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health Survey BMC Public Health Teenage pregnancy Socioeconomic inequalities Concentration curve Concentration index Decomposition analysis Nigeria |
| title | Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health Survey |
| title_full | Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health Survey |
| title_fullStr | Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health Survey |
| title_short | Socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: evidence from Demographic Health Survey |
| title_sort | socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy in nigeria evidence from demographic health survey |
| topic | Teenage pregnancy Socioeconomic inequalities Concentration curve Concentration index Decomposition analysis Nigeria |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14146-0 |
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