Teenage childbearing and school dropout in a sample of 18,791 single mothers in Cameroon Translated title: Grossesses précoces et abandon scolaire dans un échantillon de 18,791 mères célibataires au Cameroun

Abstract

Background

Adolescent childbearing increases the risk of adverse health and social consequences including school dropout (SDO). However, it remains unclear why some teenage mothers drop out of school and others do not, especially in sub-Saharan Africa settings. We aimed to investigate the background and behavioral characteristics of single mothers, associated with school dropout in a sample of 18,791 Cameroonian girls, who had their first child during adolescence.

Methods

We used data from a national registry of single mothers, collected during the years 2005–2008 and 2010–2011. Both bivariate analysis and logistic binary regression models were used to explore the relationship between adolescence motherhood and SDO controlling for a range of socio-economic, family, sexual and health seeking behavior characteristics.

Results

Among the 18,791 single mothers, 41.6% had dropped out of school because of pregnancy. The multivariable regression model showed that SDO was more common in those who were evicted from their parental home (aOR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.69–2.04), those who declared having other single mothers in their family (aOR: 1.16; 95% CI 1.08–1.25) and in mothers who had their first child before 15. Using modern contraceptive methods, having declared no sexual partner during the last year and having less than 2 children were associated with a reduced likelihood of school dropout.

Conclusions

Strong social support is essential to ensure school continuity in this vulnerable population. Dropping out of school may put the teenage mother more at risk of unsafe health behaviour and new pregnancies.

Plain language summary

There is compelling, worldwide evidence that pregnancy and birth during teenage years are significant contributors to high school dropout rates, especially in developing countries. Research has also shown that education continuity of teenage mothers can lessen the long term negative social consequences of teenage pregnancies and childbearing. In this study, we investigated the factors associated with school dropout in a sample of Cameroonian teenage mothers.

The information collected included socio-economic, family, sexual characteristics, and health-seeking behavior.

Among the 18,791 single mothers, 41.6% had dropped out of school because of pregnancy. School dropout was more common in those who were evicted from their parental home, those who declared having other single mothers in their family and in mothers who had their 1st child before 15. Using modern contraceptive methods, having declared no sexual partner during the last year and having less than 2 children were associated with a reduced likelihood of school dropout.

In conclusion, strong social support is essential to ensure school continuity in this vulnerable population. Dropping out of school may put the teenage mother more at risk of unsafe health behaviour and new pregnancies.

Résumé

Contexte

La maternité chez les adolescentes augmente le risque d’évènements sanitaires et sociaux néfastes, notamment l'abandon scolaire (SDO). Cependant, en Afrique subsaharienne, les raisons pour lesquelles certaines mères adolescentes abandonnent l'école tandis que d’autres réussissent à poursuivre leurs études ne sont pas toutes connues. Dans cet article, nous avons étudié les caractéristiques comportementales et sociodémographiques des mères célibataires, associées à l'abandon scolaire dans un échantillon de près de 18.791 filles camerounaises, qui ont eu leur premier enfant pendant l'adolescence.

Méthodes

Nous avons utilisé les données d'un registre national des mères célibataires, collectées au cours des années 2005-2008 et 2010-2011. Une analyse bivariée et des modèles de régression binaire logistique ont été utilisés pour explorer la relation entre la maternité à l'adolescence et l’abandon scolaire, en contrôlant une série de caractéristiques socio-économiques, familiales, sexuelles et sanitaires.

Résultats

Parmi les 18 791 mères célibataires, 41,6% avaient abandonné l'école en raison d'une grossesse. Le modèle de régression multivariable a montré que l'abandon scolaire était plus fréquent chez celles qui avaient été expulsées du domicile parental (ORa : 1,85 ; IC 95% : 1,69 -2,04), chez celles qui déclaraient avoir d'autres mères célibataires dans leur famille (ORa : 1,16 ; IC 95% 1,08-1,25) et chez les mères qui avaient eu leur premier enfant avant 15 ans. L'utilisation de méthodes contraceptives modernes, le fait de n'avoir déclaré aucun partenaire sexuel au cours de la dernière année et d'avoir moins de deux enfants étaient associés à une probabilité réduite d'abandon scolaire.

Conclusions

Un soutien social fort est essentiel pour assurer la continuité scolaire dans cette population vulnérable. L'abandon de l'école peut exposer la mère adolescente à un risque accru de comportements sanitaires dangereux et de nouvelles grossesses.