The prevalence of adolescent fatherhood and its associated factors in East African countries.

BACKGROUND: In developing nations, the phenomenon of adolescent fatherhood poses significant challenges, including increased risk of poverty, limited educational opportunities, and potential negative health outcomes for both the young fathers and their children. However, an overwhelming majority of research has concentrated on teenage motherhood. Adolescent fatherhood in poor nations has been the subject of little research. Few public health initiatives address adolescent fatherhood, in contrast to adolescent motherhood. Although there is currently more being done in industrialized nations to recognize adolescent fatherhood in clinical settings and the academic community. Undeveloped nations such as East Africa still have more problems that need to be resolved. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of and factors contributing to adolescent fatherhood in East Africa. METHODS: Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), collected between 2011 and 2022 in 12 East African nations, were used in this analysis. For a weighted sample of 36,316 male adolescents aged 15-24 years, we examined variables, as well as the prevalence of adolescent fatherhood. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify candidate factors and significant explanatory variables associated with the outcome variable. The results are presented using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs). P values of ≤ 0.2 and < 0.05 were used to investigate statistically significant factors in the univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses, respectively. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of adolescent fatherhood was 11.15% (95% CI = 10.83,11.48) in East Africa. Age at first sex 20-24 years (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI:0.41,0.48), age-20-24 years old (AOR = 17.03,95% CI = 15.01,19.33), secondary/higher education (AOR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.49,0.67), poor wealth (AOR = 2.27, 95% CI = 2.05,2.52), middle wealth (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.51,1.90), employed (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI = 3.40,4.54), utilized modern contraceptives (AOR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.69,0.81), and female household heads (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.39,0.48) were associated with adolescent fatherhood. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent fatherhood is more prevalent, in East Africa. These findings highlight the complexity of adolescent fatherhood and suggest that multiple factors, including socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive health behaviors, play a role in determining the likelihood of becoming an adolescent father. Understanding these associations can inform targeted interventions and policies aimed at reducing adolescent fatherhood rates and addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by young fathers in East Africa. Further research and interventions should focus on promoting education, economic opportunities, and access to modern contraceptives, while also addressing gender dynamics and social norms that contribute to adolescent fatherhood in the region.

Adolescence Pseudolymphoma / Pseudolinfoma na adolescência

Objective: report an uncommon case of cutaneous pseudolymphoma in teenage years, undiagnosed for approximately 8 years old. Methodology: data were taken from medical records, patient interviews, photographic records of the injuries, diagnostic methods, and literature review. The paper was subjected and approved by the Research Ethics Committee (REC), under the number 4.952.193, authorized by the patient and their legal sponsor. Final Conclusions: the related case shows the importance of reliable and differential diagnoses since the patient carried the injury through approximately eight years without getting any diagnosis and/or treatment. Furthermore, the unusual age and the location of the injuries make the information presented here fundamental to helping other professionals and contributing to the Public Health System (AU).

Objetivo: Relatar um caso incomum de Pseudolinfoma Cutâneo na adolescência, não diagnosticado por aproximadamente oito anos. Método: As informações foram obtidas pela revisão do prontuário, entrevista com o paciente, registro fotográfico das lesões e dos métodos diagnósticos e revisão de literatura. O trabalho foi submetido e aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa (CEP), número de aprovação 4.952.193, com autorização do paciente e seus responsáveis legais. Considerações Finais: o caso relatado evidencia a importância de um diagnóstico fidedigno e dos diagnósticos diferenciais, uma vez que a paciente apresentou a lesão por aproximadamente oito anos, sem receber nenhum diagnóstico e/ou tratamento. Além disso, não só a faixa etária é incomum, mas também a localização da lesão e por esta razão, as informações são fundamentais para auxiliar outros profissionais, com benefício deste estudo para o Sistema de Saúde (AU).

Exploring the Dilemmas, Challenges, and Opportunities of Adolescent Fatherhood: An Exploratory Case Study.

Teenage pregnancy is a significant concern for society, and the effect on education is immense. In South Africa, policies were thus introduced allowing pregnant school-going children to continue attending class until the baby's birth. However, research on adolescent pregnancy generally ignores teenage fathers and focuses mostly on teenage mothers. Parents of teenage girls are also encouraged to offer support to their children, but the same cannot be said about adolescent fathers. They confront numerous barriers in fulfilling their parenting roles. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted to explore adolescent fathers' dilemmas, challenges, and opportunities. Interviews were conducted to collect data from 5 adolescent fathers in 1 township in South Africa. Findings indicate that adolescent fathers face various challenges and experience fatherhood differently. The phenomenon's effects on education are immense and unavoidable, yet some opportunities accompany the fathering role. Adolescent fathers are exposed to several complex situations that impact their lives. To understand these, further research studies into adolescent fatherhood still need to be conducted, and reproductive health education efforts should equally be directed toward empowering boys to the same extent as girls.

A Survey of Louisiana Pediatricians' Approach to Parenting Teens and Adolescent Reproductive Health.

OBJECTIVE: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians provide a medical home for adolescent parents, and this study sought to determine pediatricians' compliance with this recommendation within the context of other adolescent reproductive health services provided. METHODS: An Internet-based survey was administered to Louisiana pediatricians. The survey contained 17 Likert scale questions relating to sexual and reproductive health services provided to female and male adolescents, and ascertaining their comfort and experience with issues related to the care of adolescents, including adolescent mothers. Respondents also had the option of describing why they do or do not provide care to adolescent mothers. Lastly, the survey collected demographic characteristics modeled after the American Academy of Pediatrics Periodic Survey of Fellows. RESULTS: There were 101 survey respondents. Seventy-nine percent of pediatricians reported that they provide care to adolescent mothers and they were similar to those who did not with respect to sex, age, race and ethnicity, and training, but they differed by practice community and payer mix. Almost 30% of pediatricians never/rarely test their patients for pregnancy, and nearly 50% never/rarely prescribe contraception. Fifty-four percent agreed that adolescent mothers should continue receiving nonobstetric medical care from their pediatricians, and 70% believed that adolescent fathers should continue receiving medical care from their pediatricians. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that most Louisiana pediatricians provide care to adolescent mothers; however, knowledge gaps and misconceptions related to adolescent reproductive health persist among pediatricians, including those who refuse care to adolescent mothers. Research into provider-level barriers may inform interventions that improve adolescent parents' access to a pediatric medical home.

Paternidade entre homens jovens: vivências, mudanças e possibilidades / Paternity on the younger men's: experiences, changes and possibilities / Paternidad entre hombres jovenes: experiências, câmbios y posibilidades

Objetivo: apresentar as percepções de homens jovens sobre a vivência da paternidade. Método: estudo qualitativo, realizado através de entrevista com 12 jovens de idade entre 18 e 24 anos, captados pela técnica de bola de neve e saturação teórica. O tratamento dos dados deu-se pela análise de conteúdo. Resultados: os jovens pais encontravam-se em cenário socioeconômico desfavorecido. A paternidade foi associada a isolamento e perdas, mas também à renovação e novas perspectivas. O provimento financeiro do filho foi um aspecto relacionado a exigências do modelo de masculinidade e paternidade vigentes, o que pode dificultar a vivência de outras formas de ser pai. Considerações finais: é necessária a implementação de políticas públicas que possibilitem aos rapazes gerenciarem sua vida reprodutiva de forma saudável e responsável, estabelecendo discussões quanto a gênero e masculinidade, para favorecer a vivência de uma paternidade menos calcada nas normas de masculinidade vigentes.

Objective: present the perceptions of young men about the experience of fatherhood. Method: qualitative study, carried out by interviews with 12 young people aged between 18 and 24 years, captured by the snowball technique and the theoretical saturation. Data processing was performed by content analysis. Results: the younger fathers were in a disadvantaged socioeconomic scenario. Fatherhood was associated with isolation and losses, but also with renovations and new perspectives. The financial provide of the child was one of the aspects related to the demands of the current model of masculinity and paternity, which can be difficult to experience in the other ways of being a father. Finalconsiderations: it is necessary to implement public policies that allow boys to manage their reproductive lives with health and responsibility, establishing discussions about gender and masculinity, to favor the experience of a fatherhood less grounded in the current norms of masculinity.

Objetivo: presentar las percepciones de hombres jóvenes sobre la experiencia de la paternidad. Método: estudio cualitativo, realizado a través de entrevistas a 12 jóvenes con edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 24 años, captados por la técnica bola de nieve y saturación teórica. El tratamiento de los datos se realizó mediante análisis de contenido. Resultados: los padres jóvenes se encontraban en un escenario socioeconómico desfavorecido. La paternidad estaba asociada con aislamiento y pérdidas, pero también con la renovación y nuevas perspectivas. La provisión financiera del hijo fue un aspecto relacionado con las exigencias del modelo de masculinidad y paternidad actual, que puede dificultar la experiencia de otras formas de ser padre. Consideracionesfinales: es necesario implementar políticas públicas que permitan a los jóvenes gestionar su vida reproductiva de forma sana y responsable, estableciendo debates sobre el género y la masculinidad, para promover la experiencia de una paternidad menos basada en las normas de masculinidad actuales.

Lineamientos para la organización y funcionamiento de la mesa técnica nacional de salud del adolescente y los comités locales de prevención del embarazo en adolescentes / Guidelines for the organization and operation of the national adolescent health technical table and the local committees for the prevention of pregnancy in adolescents

La maternidad y la paternidad temprana es un problema que afecta las vidas de las y los adolescentes de una manera importante. Los entornos de la vulnerabilidad, pobreza, violencia, relaciones inequitativas de género, así como las escasas oportunidades para escapar de ese círculo, son las que muchas veces conforman las circunstancias de vida de las y los adolescentes en Honduras. 1 Según la ENDESA 2019, refiere que la tasa de fecundidad en adolescentes (entre 10 a 14 años y entre 15 a 19 años) por cada 1000 mujeres de ese grupo de edad, es un indicador de la Agenda ODS (3.7.2) para garantizar el acceso universal a los servicios de salud sexual y reproductiva (meta 3.7-ODS 3). La tasa de fecundidad de las adolescentes en edad 10 a 14 años es de 4 (3 en área urbana y 5 en área rural); entre las adolescentes de 15 a 19 años es de 97, se eleva a 115 en el área rural y disminuye a 77 en el área urbana. De las mujeres de 15 a 19 años, 23% ha tenido un hijo nacido vivo o están en su primer embarazo...(AU)

Adolescencia e paternidade: um duelo de papeis sociais

Na adolescencia, como momento de transicao da infancia para a adultez, entre outras tarefas, o jovem ensaia novos valores e busca alternativas para firmar sua propria identidade. A partir deste pressuposto investigamos como a paternidade e vivenciada pelos adolescentes numa perspectiva socio-cultural. Foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 8 pais adolescentes, com idade entre 14 e 20 anos, moradores de Porto Alegre. As entrevistas foram gravadas e transcritas, e examinadas atraves de analise de conteudo. Foi constatado que quando a adolescencia e rompida por uma tarefa da etapa subsequente, a paternidade, ela e vivenciada como algo assustador. Os adolescentes investigados estao se tornando pais muito cedo, visto que os mesmos nao se sentem preparados psiquica e socialmente para desempenhar tal papel. Para eles, um filho representa perda de liberdade, de comodidade, e da posicao infantil, o que caracteriza a perda ou rompimento do adolescer.

Era isso o que eu queria? Um estudo da maternidade e da paternidade na adolescencia

Este estudo teve como objetivo ampliar a compreensao do fenomeno maternidade e paternidade na adolescencia. Ouvimos o discurso de 20 jovens do sexo feminino e jovens do sexo masculino, e os analisamos por uma perspectiva fenomonologica. Concluimos que a maternidade e a paternidade durante a adolescencia sao vividas inicialmente de maneira angustiada e conflitante. De um modo geral, as familias, apos a reacao inicial desfavoravel de surpresa e recriminacoes, incentivaram o casamento como um meio reparador. Constatamos tambem que a ausencia de uma afetiva orientacao sexual nas familias e escolas impede, muitas vezes, o vivenciar mais autentico da sexualidade dos jovens.