IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v10y2021i8p303-d612811.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Multilevel Analysis of Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Childbearing in Malawi

Author

Listed:
  • Jesman Chintsanya

    (Department of Population Studies, Chancellor College, University of Malawi, P.O. Box 280, Zomba, Malawi)

  • Monica Magadi

    (Department of Criminology and Sociology, Faculty of Arts Cultures and Education, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK)

  • Gloria Likupe

    (Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK)

Abstract

Although teenage pregnancy and childbearing has declined throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the recent increase in teenage pregnancy in countries such as Malawi has prompted interest from social researchers. Using Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) data from 2004 to 2015, this study employs multilevel logistic regression to examine the magnitude of change over time in risk and protective factors for teenage childbearing. During this period, teenage childbearing declined from 36.1% (C.I.: 31.5–36.7) in 2004 to 25.6% (C.I.: 24.0–27.3) in 2010 before increasing to 29.0% (C.I.: 27.4–30.7) in 2015. Age and being married (compared to never married) were consistently significantly associated with increased odds of teenage childbearing. However, delaying sexual debut, attaining secondary education, belonging to the richest quintile and rural residence offered protective effects against early motherhood, while Muslim affiliation (compared to Christian denominations) was associated with increased likelihood of teenage childbearing among adolescents. Teenage childbearing remains high in the country, largely influenced by adolescents’ early sexual debut and child marriage—risk factors that have hardly changed over time. While individual socioeconomic predictors are useful in explaining the apparent high risk of adolescent fertility among specific subgroups in Malawi, sustained declines in teenage childbearing were not evident at district level.

Suggested Citation

  • Jesman Chintsanya & Monica Magadi & Gloria Likupe, 2021. "A Multilevel Analysis of Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Childbearing in Malawi," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:10:y:2021:i:8:p:303-:d:612811
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/8/303/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/8/303/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Girma, Sourafel & Paton, David, 2015. "Is education the best contraception: The case of teenage pregnancy in England?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 1-9.
    2. Samikshya Poudel & Nawaraj Upadhaya & Resham Bahadur Khatri & Pramesh Raj Ghimire, 2018. "Trends and factors associated with pregnancies among adolescent women in Nepal: Pooled analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (2006, 2011 and 2016)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(8), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Gowokani Chijere Chirwa & Jacob Mazalale & Gloria Likupe & Dominic Nkhoma & Levison Chiwaula & Jesman Chintsanya, 2019. "An evolution of socioeconomic related inequality in teenage pregnancy and childbearing in Malawi," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Sara Yeatman & Jenny Trinitapoli, 2008. "Beyond denomination: The relationship between religion and family planning in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(55), pages 1851-1882.
    5. Parfait M. Eloundou-Enyegue & C. Shannon Stokes, 2004. "Teen Fertility and Gender Inequality in Education," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 11(11), pages 305-334.
    6. Eva O. Arceo-Gómez & Raymundo M. Campos-Vázquez, 2014. "Teenage Pregnancy in Mexico: Evolution and Consequences," Latin American Journal of Economics-formerly Cuadernos de Economía, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 51(1), pages 109-146, May.
    7. Brhane G/kidan Ayele & Tesfay Gebrehiwot Gebregzabher & Tesfay Tekle Hailu & Belete Abera Assefa, 2018. "Determinants of teenage pregnancy in Degua Tembien District, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: A community-based case-control study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(7), pages 1-15, July.
    8. Kate McQueston & Rachel Silverman & Amanda Glassman, 2012. "Adolescent Fertility in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Effects and Solutions," Working Papers id:4975, eSocialSciences.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Michele R Decker & Shannon N Wood & Meagan E Byrne & Nathalie Yao-N’dry & Mary Thiongo & Peter Gichangi & Funmilola M. OlaOlorun & Alain K Koffi & Scott Radloff & Saifuddin Ahmed & Amy O. Tsui, 2021. "Gendered power dynamics and threats to sexual and reproductive autonomy among adolescent girls and young adult women: A cross-sectional survey in three urban settings," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(11), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Mónica L. Caudillo, 2019. "Advanced School Progression Relative to Age and Early Family Formation in Mexico," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(3), pages 863-890, June.
    3. Santiago Garganta & María Florencia Pinto & Joaquín Zentner, 2023. "Extended School Day and Teenage Fertility in Dominican Republic," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0317, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    4. Klaus Prettner & Holger Strulik, 2017. "It's a Sin—Contraceptive Use, Religious Beliefs, and Long-run Economic Development," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 543-566, August.
    5. Pablo Ibarraran & Laura Ripani & Bibiana Taboada & Juan Villa & Brigida Garcia, 2014. "Life skills, employability and training for disadvantaged youth: Evidence from a randomized evaluation design," IZA Journal of Labor & Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-24, December.
    6. Jimi Adams & Jenny Trinitapoli, 2009. "The Malawi Religion Project:," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 21(10), pages 255-288.
    7. Herrera Catalina & E. Sahn David & M. Villa Kira, 2017. "Working Paper 279 - Teen Fertility and Labor Market Segmentation in Madagascar," Working Paper Series 2396, African Development Bank.
    8. Sam Hyun Yoo & Victor Agadjanian, 2021. "The paradox of change: Religion and fertility decline in South Korea," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(23), pages 537-562.
    9. Zamora Flores, María del Mar, 2021. "Carrera versus familia: Las consecuencias del embarazo adolescente que enfrentan las jóvenes bolivianas," Documentos de trabajo 5/2021, Instituto de Investigaciones Socio-Económicas (IISEC), Universidad Católica Boliviana.
    10. Andrea Atencio & Darwin Cortés & Juan Gallego, 2015. "Gender differences on sexual behavior and school inputs: evidence from Bogota," Documentos de Trabajo 12437, Universidad del Rosario.
    11. Rafael Novella & Laura Ripani, 2016. "Are you (not) expecting? The unforeseen benefits of job training on teenage pregnancy," IZA Journal of Labor & Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-18, December.
    12. Victor Agadjanian & Scott Yabiku, 2014. "Religious Affiliation and Fertility in a Sub-Saharan Context: Dynamic and Lifetime Perspectives," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(5), pages 673-691, October.
    13. Anais Bertrand-Dansereau & Shelley Clark, 2016. "Pragmatic tradition or romantic aspiration? The causes of impulsive marriage and early divorce among women in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(3), pages 47-80.
    14. Magda Tsaneva & Pinar Mine Gunes, 2020. "The effect of violent crime on teenage pregnancy in Mexico," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 141-164, March.
    15. Matías Berthelon & Diana I. Kruger & Juan P. Eberhard, 2017. "Estimating the effects of teen motherhood in Chile: a family fixed effects approach," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 44(1 Year 20), pages 5-32, June.
    16. Zhuang Hong & Wang Miao & Daniels Joseph, 2020. "Foreign Aid and Adolescent Fertility Rate: Cross-Country Evidence," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-35, June.
    17. Elina Pradhan & David Canning, 2016. "The Effect of Schooling on Teenage Fertility: Evidence from the 1994 Education Reform in Ethiopia," PGDA Working Papers 12816, Program on the Global Demography of Aging.
    18. Rock, Amelia & Barrington, Clare & Abdoulayi, Sara & Tsoka, Maxton & Mvula, Peter & Handa, Sudhanshu, 2016. "Social networks, social participation, and health among youth living in extreme poverty in rural Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 55-62.
    19. Leticia Marteleto & Molly Dondero, 2013. "Maternal age at first birth and adolescent education in Brazil," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(28), pages 793-820.
    20. Herrera Catalina & E. Sahn David, 2017. "Working Paper 281 - Early Childbearing, School Attainment and Cognitive Skills," Working Paper Series 2398, African Development Bank.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:10:y:2021:i:8:p:303-:d:612811. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.