Prevalence and factors associated with teenage pregnancy among girls aged 13 to 19 years in Atutur sub-county, Kumi district, Eastern Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Teenage pregnancy remains a pressing public health issue with profound effects on health, education, and socio-economic outcomes. Rural areas, such as parts of Teso, often face higher prevalence of teenage pregnancy due to socioeconomic challenges. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and associated factors in Atutur sub-county, Kumi district.

Methodology: The authors employed a cross-sectional study design and sampled 444 teenage girls aged 13-19 years from 12 randomly selected villages in Atutur sub-county, Kumi district in April 2024. They were interviewed using structured researcher administered questionnaire. Data was collected using kobo collect tool, downloaded, cleaned and exported to SPPS version 27.0 for further management and analysis. Descriptive statistics was conducted to determine the prevalence of teenage pregnancy. After adjusting for covariates, multivariate analysis was conducted using modified Poisson regression to determine predictors of teenage pregnancy. Results were reported with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and factors whose CI did not contain a null (1.0), with p-value (P < 0.05) for adjusted PR, were considered statistically significant.

Results: Of the 444 teenage girls, the mean age was 17 (standard deviation = 1.9) years. About one third of the participants, 132(29.7%) had ever conceived. Teenage girls in cohabitation were 3.0 times more likely to have conceived (aPR = 3.0, 95% CI: 2.23-4.10, P < 0.001) compared to those staying with their parents. Teenagers with both parents deceased were 1.9 times more likely to conceive (aPR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.15-3.31, P = 0.032) compared to those whose parents were both alive. Teenage girls who were not satisfied with basic needs provided by parents were 3.3 times more likely to conceive (aPR = 3.3, 95% CI: 2.26-4.85, P < 0.001) compared to those satisfied with the basic needs provided by their parents.

Conclusion: Teenage pregnancy rates in Atutur sub-county Kumi district was higher than the national average, due to adverse socio-economic situation. Strengthening parental support of the girl child, with legal and community measures to reduce early marriages in rural settings may reduce teenage pregnancy. There is need to make deliberate efforts to provide socio-economic strengthening for the teenage girls to reduce their vulnerability.