Early Marriage and Its Determinants among Married Reproductive Age Group Women in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia: A Multilevel Analysis

Abstract

Introduction. Amhara region has one of the highest rates of female child early marriage in Ethiopia, with eighty percent of girls in the region being married at the age of eighteen. Therefore, this study was intended to assess the prevalence and determinants of early marriage among women, in Amhara regional state. Methods. The data were extracted from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. The study included a sample of 2887 (weighted) married women from 645 clusters in Amhara regional state. The data were collected using a two-stage cluster design that includes the selection of enumeration areas as a first stage and selection of households as a second stage. A multilevel logistic regression model was fitted to determine the individual and community-level factors associated with early marriage. Result. The study revealed that 73% [95% CI 71.38, 74.62] of women aged 15–49 years were married before 18 years old. In the multilevel multivariable model; living as a rural dweller ( $\text{AOR}=4.33$ ; 95% CI: 2.17, 8.64), no education ( $\text{AOR}=2.52$ ; 95% CI: 2.23, 9.51), attending only primary education ( $\text{AOR}=2.31$ ; 95% CI: 1.68, 8.53), parental decision-maker when to get marriage ( $\text{AOR}=3.44$ ; 95% CI: 2.20, 5.39), being poorer ( $\text{AOR}=1.38$ ; 95% CI: 1.16, 4.83), and poorest wealth status ( $\text{AOR}=2.37$ ; 95% CI: 2.19, 7.83) were the independent predictors of early marriage. Conclusion. The prevalence of early marriage was high in Amhara region compared to other regions of the country. Therefore, the regional government should give due attention to access to education and encourage women’s decision-making power upon the time of marriage especially those residing in rural parts of the region.