Abstract: Teenage pregnancy is becoming a global catastrophe and a global threat. According to the Canadian International Development Agency, the average number of adolescents who become pregnant each year is greater than 16 million, and this number is continually rising. Pregnancy causes young women to drop out of school, which interrupts their education for a period. The situation is not different within Korogocho Slums in Nairobi County. This study assessed the influence of poverty on teenage pregnancy among school going teenagers in Korogocho slums in Nairobi County. The study was informed by Social Disorganization Theory and Intersectionality Theory. The study was guided by a descriptive survey design. The target population of the study involved 5 secondary schools within the slum, 10 social workers, 5 principals, 20 class teachers and 215 students were part of the sample used by the study. Student sample was achieved through stratified random sampling. Purposive sampling was employed for the social workers, class teachers and principals. Quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics by percentages, means and standard deviation. Content and thematic approaches were utilized in analyzing qualitative data. The findings from the study revealed significant associations between poverty and teenage pregnancy. Poverty showed strong positive correlations (r = 0.785, p < 0.05), indicating their substantial impact on teenage pregnancies. The regression analysis further confirmed the influence of poverty on teenage pregnancies, with a positive coefficient of 0.304. These findings highlight the importance of addressing socio-economic disparities to effectively mitigate teenage pregnancies within the community. Accordingly, the study advocates for increased investments in education and healthcare infrastructure, the implementation of comprehensive sex education, and the provision of youth-friendly sexual health services as effective measures to address this issue. It stresses the necessity of collaborative efforts among stakeholders to reduce teenage pregnancies and improve the overall well-being of adolescents.
Keywords: Poverty, Teenage, Pregnancy, Slums, School Going, Kenya, Nairobi, Korogocho, Slums.
Title: INFLUENCE OF POVERTY ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY AMONG SCHOOL GOING TEENAGERS IN KOROGOCHO SLUMS, NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA
Author: Salma Nanjira Musa Mkanga, Prof David Gichuhi, Dr Alice Omondi
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 11, Issue 4, October 2023 - December 2023
Page No: 85-92
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 17-October-2023
