Socio-Cultural Factors Associated with Teenage Pregnancy among Adolescent Girls in Jewi Refugee Camp, Gambella Region, Ethiopia
Abstract:
Teenage pregnancy remains a pressing public health issue with profound health, social, and economic consequences for adolescent girls, their families, and communities. It is associated with many socio-cultural factors that influence the occurrence of teenage pregnancy and sexual and reproductive health risk behaviors. This study assessed the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and socio-cultural factors among adolescent girls in Jewi Refugee Camp, Gambella Region. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1 to March 30, 2026, employing a systematic sampling technique among female adolescents aged 13 to 19 years. Data were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire with Kobo Collect software and analyzed in SPSS version 25. Pregnancy was confirmed using urine Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) test kits. A modified Poisson regression model was applied, and statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. All 383 female adolescents participated in this study, yielding a response rate of 100%. The prevalence of teenage pregnancy was 33.2%. The mean age at first pregnancy was 15.46 years. Factors significantly associated with teenage pregnancy were age group (APR=1.354, 95% CI: 1.073 – 1.708), family planning use (APR = 2.755; 95% CI: 1.669 – 4.546), transactional sex (APR = 0.328; 95% CI: 0.206 – 0.523), parent-adolescent communication (APR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.114 – 0.51), and family pressure for early marriage (APR = 1.560; 95% CI: 1.144 – 2.128). The prevalence of teenage pregnancy was high. Comprehensive intervention is needed to strengthen access to family planning services, discourage child marriage, and address socio-cultural norms. Future qualitative research is needed to validate these findings.References:
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