Early school failure predicts teenage pregnancy and marriage: A large population-based cohort study in northern Malawi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

School dropout has been linked to early pregnancy and marriage but less is known about the effect of school performance. We aimed to assess whether school performance influenced age at sexual debut, pregnancy and marriage, and from what age school drop-out and performance were associated with these later life events.

Methods

Data from 2007-2016 from a demographic surveillance site in northern Malawi with annual updating of schooling status and grades, and linked sexual behaviour surveys, were analysed to assess the associations of age-specific school performance (measured as age-for-grade) and status (in or out of school) on subsequent age at sexual debut, pregnancy and marriage. Landmark analysis with Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios of sexual de

SUBMITTER: Glynn JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5951561 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature