Effectiveness of economic support, comprehensive sexuality education and community dialogue on early childbearing and sitting for grade nine exams among adolescent girls in rural Zambia: a cluster randomised trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Adolescent pregnancies pose a risk to young mothers and their babies. In Zambia, one third of 18-year-old girls have given birth. Poverty, low secondary school enrolment, misinformation, and community norms contribute to early childbearing. We assessed the effectiveness of economic support alone and combined with comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and community dialogue on childbearing and sitting for grade nine exams among girls.

Methods

This cluster randomised trial had one control and two intervention arms. In 2016, 157 rural schools (units of randomisation) were included, and girls in grade seven were eligible. After recruitment, schools were stratified by district and randomised (ratio 31:63:63). In one arm, girls and their guardians were offered economi

SUBMITTER: Sandoy IF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11609475 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature