Abstract
Teenage pregnancy is one of the leading public health concerns due to the significant burden of childbearing for underage girls in terms of physical and mental health, safety, and life achievements. The proposed research study is designed to investigate this topic and generate a reliable body of evidence capable of informing preventative solutions for minimizing the rate of teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough. The research will be focused on the population of female teenagers aged 15-17 to identify the prevalence, causes, and effective preventative strategies related to teenage pregnancy. The study will use an exploratory mixed-method semi-structured interview design with thematic analysis to collect and analyze data.
Introduction
The healthcare system’s advancement relies on improving preventative mechanisms aimed at reducing negative phenomena. In this regard, the improvement of mitigating strategies for teenage pregnancy is an important area of concern due to the global presence of a high level of adolescent pregnancy (Abebe et al., 2020). Since underage girls are exposed to health risks associated with childbearing, teenage pregnancy has been recognized as a global health problem requiring immediate action (Abebe et al., 2020). This issue remains persistent in the UK, where the level of adolescent pregnancy is higher than average indicators in Western Europe (Baxter, 2021). At the same time, “the conception rate for women under 18 years decreased from 16.8 conceptions per 1,000 women in 2018 to 15.8 in 2019” (Office for National Statistics, 2021, para. 1). Nonetheless, the steady reduction in teenage pregnancy does not indicate the complete elimination of the problem, which still endangers thousands of minor females in the country.
The acuteness of the investigated health issue is justified by a scope of negative implications for the impacted population. In particular, according to Maemeko et al. (2018), pregnant teenage girls’ educational attainment deteriorates significantly due to the responsibility for the newborn child. Another important aspect of the problem is the prevalence of unplanned pregnancy in the UK population aged 18 and younger; “around 50% of under-18 conceptions and 60% of under-16 conceptions end in abortion” (University of Bedfordshire, 2021, p. 1). In turn, abortion endangers the reproductive health of young girls and imposes psychological trauma on them. Moreover, direct physical health impairments are frequently observed in teenage mothers who commonly suffer from preterm labor, complications during birth-giving, perinatal complications, and comorbidities, as well as health problems for newborns (Abebe et al., 2020; Baxter, 2021; Indarti et al., 2020; Karai et al., 2019). Thus, the identified spectrum of adverse outcomes of teenage pregnancy validates the need for implementing evidence-based preventative measures to minimize this problem.
The investigation of a significant social problem must be supported by evidence illustrating its causes. In particular, the factors contributing to the high prevalence rate of teenage pregnancy in the UK deal with insufficient education on safe sexual interaction (Wong et al., 2020). In addition, teenagers from families with a low income level and with deteriorated access to healthcare services due to limited resources are at a higher risk of underage pregnancy (Aluga & Okolie, 2021; Mohr et al., 2019; Paton et al., 2020). Overall, the scope of the problem implies the abundance of social, economic, educational, and cultural factors, the impact of which should be researched to provide solid evidence informing effective solutions. The review of current literature delivers a general overview of the academic knowledge on the issue and allows for justifying the necessity of conducting the proposed study.
Annotated bibliography
Igba, D. I., Igba, C. E., Nwafor, C. E., Elom, C., & Mgboro, C. (2018). Teenage pregnancy and girl-child education. International Journal of Applied Environmental Sciences, 13(3), 237-48.
The study conducted by Igba et al. (2018) was aimed at researching the factors that lead to teenage pregnancy with a focus on socio-emotional aspects of the problem. The researchers used a quantitative design to collect the data using questionnaires and analyze data using statistical analysis. The results of the conducted study showed that the most prevalent factors contributing to teenage pregnancy were insufficient sex education, peer pressure, and parental neglect. Moreover, the study identified such negative outcomes of teenage pregnancy as school drop-out, depression, trauma, abortion, and malnutrition (Igba et al. (2018). The study is characterized by a significant strength of drawing on a reliable body of evidence of direct determinants of underage pregnancy. However, a limitation of this research is its focus on girl-child education as a dominant aspect of the problem. At the same time, it might be addressed more broadly with the inclusion of male education to minimize unplanned pregnancy in teenagers in general. The gap in the research is envisioned in the insufficient attention to male sex education, which will be addressed in the proposed study.
Glynn, J. R., Sunny, B. S., DeStavola, B., Dube, A., Chihana, M., Price, A. J., & Crampin, A. C. (2018). Early school failure predicts teenage pregnancy and marriage: A large population-based cohort study in northern Malawi. PloS One, 13(5), e0196041.
This research project tested a hypothesis about the dependence of underage pregnancy on early school drop-out. The researchers utilized a demographic survey to interpret the data from national information on schooling, pregnancy, and marriage rates among teenagers between 2007 and 2016 (Glynn et al., 2018). The study’s results showed that early school failure at the age of 10 predicted a higher likelihood of teenage pregnancy and early marriage in teenagers (Glynn et al., 2018). The strength of this study is its precise emphasis on education as a single factor (although it was correlated with socioeconomic indicators for validity). Such an approach allowed for investigating educational attainment in isolation from other determinants and validating the importance of early educational interventions to prevent underage pregnancy.
At the same time, the research study contains a significant limitation, manifested through secondary data reliant on self-reported information. In such a manner, the results might be biased, which might be characterized as a gap in this research. To fill this gap, the proposed research will incorporate secondary teenage pregnancy data from national documents with first-hand retrieved interviews with teenagers to ensure the reliability of the findings.
Jones, C., Whitfield, C., Seymour, J., & Hayter, M. (2019). ‘Other girls’: A qualitative exploration of teenage mothers’ views on teen pregnancy in contemporaries. Sexuality & Culture, 23(3), 760-773.
The research by Jones et al. (2019) investigated the perception of teenage mothers of peer pregnant adolescents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data that was analyzed using thematic analysis. It was identified that underage mothers perceived themselves positively and were exposed to societal stigmatization. Clarifying the perceived representation of teenage pregnancy is considered the strength of the research. As for the limitation of this study, it is manifested through the limited attention to the solutions available to the problem based on the findings. The article also has a research gap reflected in the lack of geographical focus on the problem. To fill this gap and contribute evidence to the research topic, the proposed study will identify causes of teenage pregnancy with a focus on a limited geographical area and identify potentially effective solutions.
Hymas, R., & Girard, L. C. (2019). Predicting postpartum depression among adolescent mothers: A systematic review of risk. Journal of Affective Disorders, 246, 873-885.
This article addressed was risk factors leading to postpartum depression in adolescent mothers. A systematic review was utilized to incorporate recent studies on postpartum depression in underage mothers. The study found that the girls from underprivileged communities, neglectful families, and exposed to previous depressive episodes were most likely to experience postpartum depression (Hymas & Girard, 2019). The concentration on mental health is a strong feature of this research, while its use of a small number of studies for review constitutes a significant weakness. The article’s gap is its failure to address abortion-related mental health issues in the context of depression in teenage mothers. Thus, the detected information justifies the proposed study’s intended goal of conducting an in-depth investigation of the prevalence and causes of teenage pregnancy with a focus on effective problem-solving strategies.
Ponsford, R., Allen, E., Campbell, R., Elbourne, D., Hadley, A., Lohan, M., Melendez-Torres, G. J., Mercer, C. H., Morris, S., Young, H., & Bonell, C. (2018). Study protocol for the optimization, feasibility testing, and pilot cluster-randomized trial of Positive Choices: A school-based social marketing intervention to promote sexual health, prevent unintended teenage pregnancies, and address health inequalities in England. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 4(1), 1-15.
The study conducted by Ponsford et al. (2018) evaluated mitigating strategies for minimizing teenage pregnancy in British schools. Using the method of surveys within the context of a quantitative design, the researchers found that deliberate educational marketing interventions effectively reduce teenage pregnancy rates in schools by addressing risk factors for adolescent conception. The focus on problem-solving through long-term interventions is a strong side of this research. Nonetheless, the study seems to lack support for the implemented intervention’s endured benefits. The gap in the article is its limited attention to the factors beyond educational solutions, such as social and economic status. For that matter, the proposed study is justified by the need to fill this gap and investigate the causes of teenage pregnancy as the informing evidence for solution strategies.
Research Question
The general research questions developed for the proposed research study are as follows: How might the causes and prevalence rates of teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough be used to develop effective prevention strategies for minimizing this health issue’s persistence? This question might be subdivided into three specific questions informing the study objectives. In particular, they include:
- RQ1: What are the main causes of teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough?
- RQ2: What is the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough?
- RQ3: What strategies effectively tackle teenage pregnancy based on the Barking and Dagenham Borough context?
Aim and Objectives
The proposed research aims to generate specific evidence on the causes, prevalence, and solving potential for teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough. The proposed research study aims to understand the causes of teenage pregnancy among 15-17-year-old girls residing in Barking and Dagenham Borough.
The objectives of the proposed research are as follows:
- To elicit factors that cause teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough;
- To identify the rates of teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough;
- To find and justify effective interventions to prevent teenage pregnancy.
Method and Methodology
The research methodology selected for the proposed study will be based on an exploratory mixed-method design. The use of exploratory methodologies is beneficial for research inquiries focused on deepening phenomenon understanding, which aligns with the aim of the proposed study (Hallingberg et al., 2018). Moreover, “exploratory research is an important component of scientific endeavour especially when it comes to understanding society” (According to Nattrass, 2020, p. 4). Both qualitative and quantitative approaches will be used to explore the causes, prevalence, and solution strategies related to teenage pregnancy in the defined geographical area (Jones, 2019; Nattrass, 2020). Mixed methods allow for retrieving a multifaceted body of evidence on a complicated social issue (Gambier-Ross et al., 2018). More specifically, data will be collected using semi-structured interviews with a sample of 50 pregnant teenage girls and the use of secondary data from local statistic documents on the prevalence and strategies of teenage pregnancy and its prevention.
The population will be recruited in several stages with the volunteer enrollment and the following selection of individuals who fit the requirements. In particular, non-probability sampling will be used to engage school students aged 15-17 years who are currently pregnant or have a child aged one year or younger (Pace, 2021). Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with the participants following the obtainment of their informed consent (DeJonckheere & Vaughn, 2019). In addition, document analysis will be utilized to explore and process data from statistical inquiries conducted by governmental institutions to detect prevalence rates and effective strategies (Indarti et al., 2020). Interview answers will be categorized and thematically analyzed based on the topics and factors addressed.
As for the quantitative investigation of documents, the numerical data on prevalence will be processed using software with the following incorporation of the overall findings to answer the main research question. The use of methodological triangulation will contribute to the study’s credibility and internal validity, while its external validity will be based on a relatively large sample (Noble & Heale, 2019). Thus, the methodology will be aligned with the resources available and the aim and objectives of the study. The timeline of the planned research activities is presented in Appendix 1.
Ethical Considerations
Given the sensitivity of the explored health issue and the involvement of underage participants, specific ethical considerations should be addressed. According to Wu et al. (2021), the enrollment of teenagers in the research process requires obtaining written informed consent with an appropriate explanation of the study particularities. For that matter, the ethical principles of respecting human rights to privacy and confidentiality will be followed to ensure the non-disclosure of participant information (Baldwinson, 2018). Limited personal information strictly pertaining to the relevant data will be recorded and not disclosed to third parties.
Limitations
The proposed research might be characterized by several weak points. The use of the self-reported method of the interview might be considered a limitation of the proposed study due to its subjectivity (DeJonckheere & Vaughn, 2019). Moreover, the impact of the researcher’s implicit bias due to the personal attitude to the investigated problem might jeopardize its objectivity (Schnierle et al., 2019). In addition, a small sample of 50 participants might be considered a limitation in comparison to larger studies. Nonetheless, the aim of the research validates the use of perception-based information and a small geographically-bound sample. The researcher will be aware of the potential hazards of implicit bias and will ensure a non-biased attitude toward participants.
Significance of Research
The proposed study’s significance might be validated by its focus on the local indicators of teenage pregnancy in Barking and Dagenham Borough. Moreover, it will update the evidence on relevant factors contributing to modern-day adolescent pregnancy research (Baxter et al., 2021). Finally, the study will provide a substantial evidential basis for generating effective solutions to the problem of underage pregnancy on the basis of geographically validated data relevant to the investigated context.
Conclusion
In summation, due to the persistence of risks associated with teenage pregnancy in the UK, the proposed study aims at exploring relevant causes, prevalence, and effective solutions. The research will address the literature gaps in the current research by conducting semi-structured interviews with teenage mothers and analyzing local statistical documents. The study is anticipated to deepen the understanding of the problem and find its solutions for Barking and Dagenham Borough.
References
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Aluga, D., & Okolie, E. A. (2021). Socioeconomic determinants of teenage pregnancy and early motherhood in the United Kingdom: A perspective. Health Promotion Perspectives, 11(4), 426-429.
Baldwinson, R. (2018). Ethics for rhetoric, the rhetoric of ethics, and rhetorical ethics in health and medicine. The rhetoric of Health & Medicine, 1(3), 213-238.
Baxter, A. J., Dundas, R., Popham, F., & Craig, P. (2021). How effective was England’s teenage pregnancy strategy? A comparative analysis of high-income countries. Social Science & Medicine, 270, 113685.
DeJonckheere, M., & Vaughn, L. M. (2019). Semistructured interviewing in primary care research: A balance of relationship and rigour. Family Medicine and Community Health, 7(2), 1-8.
Gambier-Ross, K., McLernon, D. J., & Morgan, H. M. (2018). A mixed methods exploratory study of women’s relationships with and uses of fertility tracking apps. Digital Health, 4, 2055207618785077.
Glynn, J. R., Sunny, B. S., DeStavola, B., Dube, A., Chihana, M., Price, A. J., & Crampin, A. C. (2018). Early school failure predicts teenage pregnancy and marriage: A large population-based cohort study in northern Malawi. PloS One, 13(5), e0196041.
Hallingberg, B., Turley, R., Segrott, J., Wight, D., Craig, P., Moore, L., Murphy, S., Robling, M., Simpson, S. A., & Moore, G. (2018). Exploratory studies to decide whether and how to proceed with full-scale evaluations of public health interventions: A systematic review of guidance. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 4(1), 1-12.
Hymas, R., & Girard, L. C. (2019). Predicting postpartum depression among adolescent mothers: A systematic review of risk. Journal of Affective Disorders, 246, 873-885.
Igba, D. I., Igba, C. E., Nwafor, C. E., Elom, C., & Mgboro, C. (2018). Teenage pregnancy and girl-child education. International Journal of Applied Environmental Sciences, 13(3), 237-48.
Indarti, J., Al Fattah, A. N., Dewi, Z., Hasani, R. D. K., Mahdi, F. A. N., & Surya, R. (2020). Teenage pregnancy: Obstetric and perinatal outcome in a tertiary centre in Indonesia. Obstetrics and Gynecology International, 2020, 1-5.
Jones, C., Whitfield, C., Seymour, J., & Hayter, M. (2019). ‘Other girls’: A qualitative exploration of teenage mothers’ views on teen pregnancy in contemporaries. Sexuality & Culture, 23(3), 760-773.
Karai, A., Gyurkovits, Z., Nyári, T. A., Sári, T., Németh, G., & Orvos, H. (2019). Adverse perinatal outcome in teenage pregnancies: An analysis of a 5-year period in Southeastern Hungary. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 32(14), 2376-2379.
Maemeko, E. L., Nkengbeza, D., & Chokomosi, T. M. (2018). The impact of teenage pregnancy on academic performance of grade 7 learners at a school in the Zambezi region. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 6(09), 88-100.
Mohr, R., Carbajal, J., & Sharma, B. B. (2019). The influence of educational attainment on teenage pregnancy in low-income countries: A systematic literature review. Journal of Social Work in the Global Community, 4(1), 2.
Nattrass, N. (2020). In defence of exploratory research: A reply to critics. South African Journal of Science, 116, 1-36.
Noble, H., & Heale, R. (2019). Triangulation in research, with examples. Evidence-based Nursing, 22(3), 67-68.
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Pace, D. S. (2021). Probability and non-probability sampling-an entry point for undergraduate researchers. International Journal of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, 9(2), 1-15.
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Ponsford, R., Allen, E., Campbell, R., Elbourne, D., Hadley, A., Lohan, M., Melendez-Torres, G. J., Mercer, C. H., Morris, S., Young, H., & Bonell, C. (2018). Study protocol for the optimization, feasibility testing and pilot cluster randomized trial of Positive Choices: A school-based social marketing intervention to promote sexual health, prevent unintended teenage pregnancies and address health inequalities in England. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 4(1), 1-15.
Schnierle, J., Christian-Brathwaite, N., & Louisias, M. (2019). Implicit bias: what every pediatrician should know about the effect of bias on health and future directions. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 49(2), 34-44.
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Wu, Y., Howarth, M., Zhou, C., Yang, L., Ye, X., Wang, R., Li, C., Hu, M., & Cong, W. (2021). Ethical considerations referred to in child health research published in leading nursing journals: 2015–2019. International Journal Of Nursing Practice, 27(3), e12886.
Appendix 1
