Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maryse C. Kok, Tasneem Kakal, Abeje Berhanu Kassegne, Irwan M. Hidayana, Alister Munthali, J. Anitha Menon, Paulo Pires, Tabither Gitau, Anke van der Kwaak
Summary: Child marriage is driven by a lack of education, teenage pregnancy, economic constraints, and social acceptance in specific contexts. It is seen as an acceptable and possible practice due to intersecting factors including poverty, social norms, and girls' individual choices.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vera Sagalova, Jonathan Garcia, Till Barnighausen, John Ntambi, Roger Sodjinou, Noel Marie Zagre, Sebastian Vollmer
Summary: Although there has been progress in reducing adolescent maternity and early marriage rates in West and Central Africa, the situation remains challenging. Higher-income countries with better legal protections for young girls consistently perform better on both indicators. Further research is needed to understand the lack of association between adolescent marriage and maternity rates with gender discrimination and social institutions.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Dessalegn Y. Melesse, Reka M. Cane, Aveneni Mangombe, Macellina Y. Ijadunola, Adom Manu, Eniola Bamgboye, Abdu Mohiddin, Rornald M. Kananura, Elsie Akwara, Elsabe du Plessis, Yohannes D. Wado, Martin K. Mutua, Wubegzier Mekonnen, Cheikh M. Faye, Sarah Neal, Ties Boerma
Summary: The study found that although early marriage, childbearing, and sexual debut have declined in SSA, the levels in 2015 were still high, especially in Central and West Africa. Disparities in urban-rural and wealth-related inequalities persist or have become more pronounced, particularly in Central and West Africa. Adolescent girls with lower levels of education and from poorer households continue to face higher risks and vulnerabilities in ASRH.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vera Sagalova, Simeon Nanama, Noel Marie Zagre, Sebastian Vollmer
Summary: The study found that early marriage and childbearing in West and Central African countries have negative impacts on women's economic, social, and fertility outcomes, leading to higher likelihood of poverty, lower education attainment, and more children. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent adolescent marriage and pregnancy in general, and focus specifically on girls below the age of 15 to delay such negative demographic life events.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Demography
Sophia Chae, Victor Agadjanian
Summary: This study examines the prevalence of polygyny among currently married women in Sub-Saharan Africa using data from 111 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 27 countries since the 1990s. The findings suggest that the practice of polygyny is declining in most countries, and women who are less educated, non-Christian, and living in rural areas are more likely to be in a polygynous union. There is also evidence of increased selection into polygynous unions based on these characteristics over time.
POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vera Sagalova, Jonathan Garcia, Aline Simen Kapeu, John Ntambi, Noel Marie Zagre, Sebastian Vollmer
Summary: Early marriage and maternity prevalence rates are high among adolescent girls in West and Central Africa, with disparities observed based on wealth, education, geographical location, and religious affiliation. Vulnerable adolescents can be better targeted for intervention based on these findings.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Tholene Sodi, Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie, Kwaku Oppong Asante, Makondelele Radzilani-Makatu, Mpsanyana Makgahlela, Shai Nkoana, Julia Mutambara
Summary: This proposed review aims to synthesize the available published primary evidence from sub-Saharan Africa on the status and measurement of mental health literacy among school-going adolescents. The review will be conducted using systematic methods and will assess the methodological quality of the included studies. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Bonginkhosi Petros Vilakati, Stephanie Chamberlin, Sara Yeatman
Summary: Despite an overall increase in HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa, men still lag behind women in the use of HIV testing services. A study found that men's endorsement of intimate partner violence (IPV) is related to their lifetime and recent HIV testing, suggesting that addressing inequitable gender attitudes is crucial in increasing men's HIV testing in the region. However, the strength of this relationship varies across countries and regions, highlighting the importance of considering contextual differences.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anne Lieke Ebbers, Jeroen Smits
Summary: The birth registration rate is low in sub-Saharan Africa, and factors such as poverty, low education, restricted autonomy of women, belonging to a traditional religion at the household level, and lack of professional care during pregnancy and early life contribute to this. Context factors, such as average prenatal care visits, living in an urban area, birth registration legislation, decentralization of the registration system, fertility rates, and conflicts also play a role.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Bright Opoku Ahinkorah, Eugene Budu, Abdul-Aziz Seidu, Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa, Ebenezer Agbaglo, Collins Adu, Francis Arthur-Holmes, Nandeeta Samad, Sanni Yaya
Summary: Child marriage is associated with low utilization of maternal healthcare services in sub-Saharan Africa.
BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Abdul-Aziz Seidu, Bright Opoku Ahinkorah, Seun Stephen Anjorin, Justice Kanor Tetteh, John Elvis Hagan, Betregiorgis Zegeye, Addae Boateng Adu-Gyamfi, Sanni Yaya
Summary: Family structure, women's decision-making power, access to family planning, women's level of education, and partners' level of education were identified as important predictors of high-risk fertility behaviors in sub-Saharan Africa.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mussa K. Nsanya, Rachel Abramson, Godfrey A. Kisigo, Andy Hickner, Elias C. Nyanza, Robert N. Peck, Saidi H. Kapiga
Summary: Hypertension among adolescents is common in high-income countries and leads to increased cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence, risk factors, and complications of hypertension among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa have not been well-described.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Development Studies
Jeannie Annan, Aletheia Donald, Markus Goldstein, Paula Gonzalez Martinez, Gayatri Koolwal
Summary: This study explores the impact of women's power relative to their husbands on women's health, reproductive outcomes, children's health, and children's education in 23 Sub-Saharan African countries. The findings suggest that recognizing women's power leads to better well-being outcomes for women and children. However, when women take more decision-making power for themselves, it can have positive effects on reproductive and children's health but negative effects on emotional violence.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Monica Bandeira, Marien A. Graham, Liesel Ebersohn
Summary: Adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa face various challenges and risk factors, such as poverty, climate change, poor health measures, and violence. These contextual challenges hinder their access to resilience-enabling pathways and have an impact on their mental health outcomes. This study aims to contribute to knowledge generation on resilience of young people in the understudied SSA region and investigate the variables that affect adolescent resilience.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lauren Perieres, Valerie Seror, Sylvie Boyer, Cheikh Sokhna, Patrick Peretti-Watel
Summary: This systematic literature review examines the reasons for non-vaccination and under-vaccination of children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis of 37 articles revealed common factors such as caregiver's time constraints, lack of knowledge regarding vaccination, unavailability of vaccines/personnel in healthcare facilities, missed opportunities for vaccination, caregiver's fear of minor side effects, poor access to vaccination services, and caregiver's vaccination beliefs.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2022)