Fentanesh Nibret Tiruneh1, Mesfin Wogayehu Tenagashaw1, Degnet Teferi Asres1, Hirut Assaye Cherie2. 1. Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. 2. Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. hirutas2000@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Early marriage and early childbearing are common practices in Ethiopia. Girls who get married and give birth at a very young age are more likely to experience several health problems including anemia among others. However, the effects of early marriage and early childbearing on anemia status of adolescent girls have not been quantified in previous studies. In this study, we assessed whether early marriage and early childbearing measured at both individual and community levels are associated with adolescent anemia. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2016 demographic and health survey of Ethiopia. Our study focused on 3172 late female adolescents (15-19 years). We used the chi-squared test and spearman correlation coefficients for bivariate analysis. The relationship between early marriage and childbearing with anemia was evaluated using multilevel binary logistic regression models while controlling other determinants. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of anemia among female adolescents was 23.8% (95% CI; 22.3-25.2). Our multivariable multilevel analysis showed that individual-level marital status (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.06-2.02) and community-level childbearing status (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.25-6.29) were positively associated with anemia among female adolescents. CONCLUSION: Our findings show the presence of significant association between early marriage & early childbearing with adolescent anemia. Therefore, there is a need for effective policies and programs to end the practice of early child marriage and the consequent adolescent pregnancy in Ethiopia. This will help to improve nutritional status of adolescent girls as well as nutritional outcomes of their children.
BACKGROUND: Early marriage and early childbearing are common practices in Ethiopia. Girls who get married and give birth at a very young age are more likely to experience several health problems including anemia among others. However, the effects of early marriage and early childbearing on anemia status of adolescent girls have not been quantified in previous studies. In this study, we assessed whether early marriage and early childbearing measured at both individual and community levels are associated with adolescent anemia. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2016 demographic and health survey of Ethiopia. Our study focused on 3172 late female adolescents (15-19 years). We used the chi-squared test and spearman correlation coefficients for bivariate analysis. The relationship between early marriage and childbearing with anemia was evaluated using multilevel binary logistic regression models while controlling other determinants. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of anemia among female adolescents was 23.8% (95% CI; 22.3-25.2). Our multivariable multilevel analysis showed that individual-level marital status (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.06-2.02) and community-level childbearing status (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.25-6.29) were positively associated with anemia among female adolescents. CONCLUSION: Our findings show the presence of significant association between early marriage & early childbearing with adolescent anemia. Therefore, there is a need for effective policies and programs to end the practice of early child marriage and the consequent adolescent pregnancy in Ethiopia. This will help to improve nutritional status of adolescent girls as well as nutritional outcomes of their children.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescents; Anemia; Community-level; Early childbearing; Early marriage; Individual-level
Authors: Jee H Rah; Parul Christian; Abu Ahmed Shamim; Ummeh T Arju; Alain B Labrique; Mahbubur Rashid Journal: J Nutr Date: 2008-08 Impact factor: 4.798