Factors associated with teenage pregnancy among refugees in Palabek refugee settlement, Northern Uganda.

Background: Globally, teenage pregnancy is a public health problem. Low- and middle-income countries in the Sub-Saharan region are more affected with teenage pregnancy. It is worse with teenage girls who have other vulnerabilities like living in refugee camps. However, there is little information about teenage pregnancy in refugee camps especially in resource limited areas like Northern Uganda.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and the factors associated with teenage pregnancy among refugees in Palabek refugee settlement, Northern Uganda.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among teenage girls in Palabek refugee settlement in Northern Uganda. The study estimated a total sample size of 316 teenage girls and they were sampled using systematic random sampling. Data was collected using researcher administered questionnaire. Conditional logistics regression was employed to identify the associated factors for teenage pregnancy.

Results: A total of 306 teenagers participated in the study with a response rate of 98.6%. The study showed that the prevalence of teenage pregnancy among teenage girls in Palabek refugee settlement, Northern Uganda was 41.2%. The factors associated with teenage pregnancy among teenage girls in Palabek refugee settlement included: being in the 15-19 years age group (AOR = 6.3, 95%CI: 1.8-22.8), not being in school (AOR = 5, 95%CI: 2.3-10.9), not being married (AOR = 0.2, 95%CI: 0.1-0.5), delayed sexual debut (AOR = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.1-5.5), having multiple sexual partners (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-0.7), alcohol use (AOR = 6.7, 95%CI: 2.2-18.4), being aware of sexual reproductive health services (AOR = 0.4, 95%CI: 0.2-0.9), and having divorced families (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.2-4.9).

Conclusion: Study results reveal that 4 in 10 teenage girls in Palabek, Northern Uganda, are pregnant, influenced by individual, community, and health system factors. This highlights vulnerabilities in refugee camps, urging prioritization of sexual and reproductive health for adolescent girls in refugee camps.