Demographic and psychosocial risk factors for adolescent pregnancies among sexually active girls in the slums of Kampala, Uganda

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION: Adolescent pregnancy is a global public health issue and often linked to adverse health outcomes for both the mother and child. Youth and adolescents living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda face many environmental and psychosocial adversities, and are at a high risk of experiencing adolescent pregnancy. The goal of this study was to determine the correlates of adolescent pregnancy among sexually active girls living in the slums of Kampala. METHODS: This study is based on a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2014 on youth and adolescents living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda (n=1,134) who were attending Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in centers. IRB approvals were granted. RESULTS: In this study, 30.4% of girls reported a pregnancy. Girls who reported a pregnancy were more likely to have less than a primary education, to have lived on the streets, live in a house with more than two rooms, to drink alcohol, to have an STI, and have been raped and use condoms inconsistently, than girls who did not report a pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may inform pregnancy prevention interventions among adolescent girls living in Kampala. Interventions may benefit from incorporating alcohol use prevention strategies, particularly for alcohol use during sex. KEY MESSAGES: Approximately 30% of sexually active girls (ages 12–18) living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda reported a previous pregnancy. In the multivariable analysis, consuming alcohol during sex was the only statistically significant correlate with pregnancy. Intervention programs are urgently warranted to delay pregnancy and address correlates of pregnancy, such as alcohol use, for this population, as these youth and adolescents face dire environmental and psychosocial adversities.