Prevalence and associated factors of adolescent fatherhood in Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis using the 2016 Ethiopian demographic health survey data

Background Though the consequences of teenage pregnancy and early motherhood has been studied very well, little is known about the magnitude as well as the determinants of adolescent fatherhood. Unlike adolescent motherhood, limited public health programs are working on adolescent fatherhood. Currently, in developed countries, there is an increased work to acknowledge teen fathers in clinical practice and in the research forum, but still, there are more issues that need to be addressed in developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of adolescent fatherhood in Ethiopia based on the nationally representative survey. Methods This study used the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data. A total weighted sample of 4455 adolescent men was included for the final analysis. For the associated factors, multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to consider the hierarchical nature of the EDHS data. Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), and deviance (-2LLR) were used for model comparison and for assessing model fitness. The model with the largest adjusted R2, lowest Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) and the smallest cross-validation prediction error were considered as the best-fitted model. In the multivariable analysis, the Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were reported to declare the presence of statistically significant factors associated with adolescent fatherhood, and variables with p-value <0.05 were considered as a significant variable. Results The prevalence of adolescent fatherhood in Ethiopia was 6.79% [95%CI; 6.08%, 7.56%]. Adolescent men with contraceptive knowledge [AOR = 4.25; 95%CI = 1.23, 14.69], age in 20 to 24 years [AOR = 7.93; 95%CI = 3.66, 17.27] and being Muslim [AOR = 1.84; 95%CI = 1.02, 3.39] were significantly associated with Higher odds of adolescent fatherhood. Individuals who initiate sex lately [AOR = 0.35; 95%CI = 0.22, 0.54], being in female-headed family [AOR = 0.46; 95%CI; 0.26, 0.82] and being from Amhara region [AOR = 0.35; 95%CI = 0.14, 0.84] were significantly associated with lower odds of adolescent fatherhood. Conclusion In this study, adolescent fatherhood was a common public health problem in Ethiopia as it is closely linked with poor quality of life and premature death (year of potential life lost). Age of respondent, knowledge of respondent about contraceptive methods, early initiation of sex, religion, sex of household head, and region were significantly associated with adolescent fatherhood. Therefore, program planners and decision-makers should give special attention to adolescent men through enhancing reproductive health services utilization and their knowledge towards it to decrease the incidence of adolescent fatherhood.

Sobre las dimensiones de la paternidad en la adolescencia | On the dimensions of fatherhood in adolescence

Resumen – El artículo es producto del proyecto Visibilizando la Paternidad Adolescente en sectores de Pobreza, financiada por la Comisión Sectorial de Investigación Científica (CSIC) de la Universidad de la República. Dicha investigación fue avalada y respaldada por organizaciones públicas y privadas tales como: Ministerio de Desarrollo Social (MIDES); Aldeas Infantiles S.O.S. y Vida y Educación. El texto dialoga en ese espacio fronterizo entre saberes académicos, saberes técnicos y el saber cotidiano de adolescentes entrevistados. Pretendemos poner en común los resultados de esta investigación, de carácter exploratorio, sobre los sentidos y experiencias de la paternidad en la adolescencia pobre y suburbana. Especialmente desde la ética sexual que rige la vida de los entrevistados, en términos de cómo entienden su virilidad y su vida de pareja. Para ello nos hemos guiado por la intención de elucidar el problema estudiado, en términos de pensar y saber lo que se hace y piensa científicamente.Palabras Claves: paternidad; adolescencia; pobreza; ética sexual. Resumo – O artigo é produto do projeto Visibilizando a paternidade na adolescência pobre, financiado pela Comissão Setorial de Pesquisas Científicas (CSIC) da Universidade da República. Esta pesquisa foi apoiada por organizações públicas e privadas, tais como: Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social (Mides); Aldeias Infantis S.O.S. e Vida e Educação. O texto, portanto, dialoga nesse espaço de fronteira entre o conhecimento acadêmico, o conhecimento técnico e o conhecimento diário dos adolescentes entrevistados. Pretendemos, assim, compartilhar os resultados desta pesquisa, de caráter exploratório, sobre os sentidos e experiências da paternidade na adolescência pobre suburbana, abordando especialmente a ética sexual que rege as vidas dos entrevistados, em termos de como eles entendem sua virilidade e a vida com seu parceira. Para isso, fomos guiados pela intenção de elucidar o problema estudado, em termos de pensar e saber o que é feito e pensado cientificamente.Palavras-Chave: paternidade; adolescência; pobreza; ética sexual. Abstract – This article is a product of the project Visibilizing Adolescent Fatherhood in Poverty Sectors, financed by the Sectoral Commission for Scientific Research (CSIC) of the Universidad de la República in Uruguay. This research was endorsed and supported by public and private organizations such as: Uruguay’s Ministry of Social Development (MIDES); Aldeas Infantiles S.O.S., and Vida y Educación. The article bridges the border space between academic knowledge, technical knowledge, and the daily knowledge of the teenagers interviewed. We intend to share the results of this exploratory research about the senses and experiences of fatherhood in poor and suburban adolescence, especially on the sexual ethic that governs the lives of the interviewees, in terms of how they understand their virility and their life as a couple. For this we have been guided by the intention to elucidate the problem studied, in terms of thinking and knowing what is done and think scientifically.Keywords: fatherhood; adolescence; poverty; sexual ethics.