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This study was an attempt to assess the factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in Tunduru District Council. The objectives of the study were to determine whether poverty, awareness and low access to family planning services, peer pressure, and level of education contributed to the problem also to solicit for suggestions on how to curb them. Cross sectional research design was used to show and also help in investigating associations between risk factors and the outcome of interest. Purposive sampling technique was used because it enabled the researcher to include only the respondents that were needed for the study. The target population consisted of 183 respondents who satisfied the inclusion criteria. Primary data were collected from the respondents using self-administered questionnaires via the reproductive health service providers. Validity and reliability issues were considered in order to ensure consistency of the data. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis were used to analyze data in order to minimize the weakness of one another and thereafter SPSS program version 20 was used to code them. The results revealed that poverty, peer pressure, level of education, poor knowledge on the use of family planning contraceptives, reproductive health, little access of family planning methods, early marriages and low access to family services contributed much to the problem. Pregnancy prevention strategies were recommended based on the results. The strategies focused on improving female literacy rate, establishment of adolescent friendly clinics, revision of the current marriage law, encourage community based programmes for sensitization purposes, establishment of gender help desk specifically for youths in order to help them when in need and many others. |
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