Million Phiri|Mwewa E. Kasonde|Nkuye Moyo|Milika Sikaluzwe|Simona Simona
A multilevel analysis of trends and predictors associated with teenage pregnancy in Zambia (2001–2018)
University of Zambia|University of Zambia|University of Zambia|University of Zambia|University of Zambia
teenage pregnancy remains major social public health challenge developing countries especially subsaharan africa ssa prevalence rates still increasing even considerable effort made years study determining factors teenage pregnancy ssa studies looked trends associated factors longer period furthermore known study focussed individual contextual factors influencing teenage pregnancy zambia study thus sought fill gap knowledge simultaneously investigating trends teenage pregnancy well individual contextual determining factorsa total pooled weighted sample 10010 teenagers age group 1519 four waves zambia demographic health surveys extracted using bivariate analysis investigated trends teenage pregnancy 2001 2018 separate multilevel logistic regression models fitted pooled teenage pregnancy data relation several individual contextual level factors fixed random effects produced bayesian parameter estimates produced using lme4 package r statistical programming environmentresults trends teenage pregnancy zambia shown overall decrease 2 2001 2018 almost socioeconomic demographic variables consistently associated teenage pregnancy p 0001 bivariate analysis across four survey multilevel analysis odds pregnant higher teenagers employed aor 121 95 ci 102142 married aor 771 95 ci 631952 knowledge ovulation period aor 158 95 ci 134190 hand belonging households high wealth quintiles literate exposure massmedia family planning messages delayed sexual debut associated decreased odds teenage pregnancythe study shows teenage pregnancy remains social public health challenge zambia country seen little decrease prevalence years consideration factors associated teenage pregnancy include marital status employment knowledge ovulation period wealth quintile sexual debut exposure massmedia family planning messaging concerted effort must made improve literacy levels reduce poverty enhance sexual health promotion mass media view cultural norms may prevent parents children discussion sexual education topics thus exacerbate viceteenage pregnancy continues major social public health challenge developing countries particularly subsaharan africa ssa prevalence rates rise even considerable effort made years study determining factors teenage pregnancy ssa studies looked trends associated factors longer period study zambia thus sought fill gap knowledge simultaneously investigating trends teenage pregnancy well individual contextual determining factors used pooled dataset zambias 2001 2018 dhs run separate multilevel logistic regression models examine several individual contextual level factors influencing teenage pregnancy findings show trends teenage pregnancy zambia shown overall decrease 2 2001 2018 almost socioeconomic demographic variables consistently associated teenage pregnancy study shows teenage pregnancy remains social public health challenge zambia country seen little decrease prevalence years consideration concerted effort must made improve literacy levels reduce poverty enhance sexual health promotion mass media view cultural norms may prevent parents children discussion sexual education topics thus exacerbate vice