Socioeconomic factors increase the risk of teenage pregnancy: spatial and temporal analysis in a Brazilian municipality

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the distribution of the proportion of teenage mothers (PTM) in time and space and its relationship with socioeconomic indicators and social vulnerability. Methods: An ecological study was carried out with teenage mothers living in 322 census tracts in Foz do Iguaçu (state of Paraná, Brazil) between 2013 and 2019. Spatial clusters of teenage mothers were identified by spatial scanning and grouped into strata with different prevalence. The association between these strata and the individual social vulnerability of the mothers was evaluated using the Pearson's Chi-square test. Linear regression models were adjusted to evaluate the association between PTM and socioeconomic factors by census tract and temporal trend in PTM in different strata. Results: We identified five high prevalence clusters in peripheral regions and six with low prevalence in the central region of the municipality. Proportionally, there were more teenage mothers with a worse vulnerability index in the high prevalence stratum than in the low prevalence stratum. Places with worse socioeconomic conditions present higher PTM, a profile that did not change over time. For the increase of one unit in the Brazilian Deprivation Index and proportion of women responsible for the household, the PTM increased, respectively, by 3.8 (95%CI 3.1–4.4) and 0.086% (95%CI 0.03–0.14). There was a reduction in the global PTM in part of the period, which occurred later in the higher prevalence strata, but the proportions were stable again in the last years of study. Conclusion: Teenage pregnancy is concentrated in regions with worse socioeconomic conditions and greater maternal vulnerability and its behavior over time occurred differently in these areas.