Factors associated with teenage pregnancy in riana division, ndhiwa sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated factors associated with teenage pregnancy among the teenagers who are regular attendants of religious meetings in Riana Division of Ndhiwa sub-County, Kenya. Specifically, the study set to examine the prevalence of teenage pregnancy, establish premarital sex, level of contraceptive use and determined the effect of sex education on teenage pregnancy among regular religious worshippers in the study area. The study was based on the Psychosocial theory by Ausubel (1961) and employed Cross-sectional survey design. Data was collected using questionnaires and in-depth interview schedule from 303 girls randomly selected from the target population of 12,044. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages, means and spearman correlation coefficient and inferential statistics of chi-square and results presented in frequency tables and figures. The study established that there is high prevalence of teenage pregnancy, premarital sex, low contraceptive use and low sex education all these thus contributing to teenage pregnancy .It was discovered that religious leaders and parents do very little in teaching responsible premarital sexual behaviors among the teenagers in Riana Division of Ndhiwa Sub County, Homa Bay County. It is concluded therefore from the finding that factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in Riana Division are premarital sex, low contraceptive use and lack of adequate sex education. The study recommends that the provision of religious and sex education to be strengthen and the teenagers be encouraged to use and be provided with contraceptives to help solve the problem of teenage pregnancy.