A longitudinal examination of US teen childbearing and smoking risk

Life after teenage childbearing: A long-term view on teenage mothers' wellbeing

BACKGROUND

This study aims to address the lack of information about the long-term wellbeing of (former) teenage mothers in the Netherlands. It provides data which policymakers can use to ensure that support programmesmeet the needs of teenage mothers.

METHODS

Women who had given birth before the age of twenty were recruited online by Fiom, expertise centre on unintended pregnancy (December 2018-February 2019; N = 248). Survey data were obtained to assess how they perceived their wellbeing, employment, education, housing, and social support. Respondents were divided into three groups: 0-3 years after teenage childbearing (short term), 4-12 years (medium term), >12 years (long term). Results were analysed using univariate and bivariate descriptions in SPSS.

RESULTS

Almost 80% of respondents reported that they were doing well and were satisfied with their lives, 63% had a job, and 17% were students. Short-term mothers worked fewer hours per week, received more benefits, and were less satisfied with their living conditions compared to medium- and long-term mothers. 36% Of the respondents smoked cigarettes. Most support was given by family (83%), mainly by female relatives. About 24% received formal support from social workers or institutions.

CONCLUSIONS

Respondents, on average, reported they were doing well and were satisfied with their lives, in both the short and long term. These results suggest that as the years pass, teenage mothers overcome difficulties. Regarding income and housing, however, short-term mothers were in a less favourable position. Tailored interventions are recommended to address smoking among (former) teenage mothers.

The role of education and other transition milestones in the progression of social inequalities in cigarette smoking between the ages of 18 and 25: Evidence from the Canadian National Population Health Survey

Young adulthood is now considered a sensitive period in the progression of health inequalities over the life-course. This age group experiences highly dynamic and socially patterned life-course events that require nuanced modelling choices compared to those commonly used in public health sciences. To illustrate this, we estimate changes in the risk of smoking according to student status, employment status, living arrangements, and relationship status at different ages across education categories. We used longitudinal data in 1,243 young adults followed every two years between the ages of 18-19 and 24-25 in the Canadian National Population Health Survey (1994-95 to 2010-11). We examined the age-graded associations of occasional and daily smoking with educational attainment and transition statuses using random-effects multinomial logistic regression models with interaction terms. Post-secondary education, living with parents, studying, and being in a relationship were associated with a lower risk of daily smoking in main models, with some of these associations significantly varying in magnitude by age. The risk associated with living without parents at ages 18-19 disappeared by ages 24-25. Being single was both a protective factor at ages 18-19 and a risk factor at ages 24-25. Finally, the risk associated with being single was also stronger among those who did not pursue post-secondary education. These findings support the argument that the simple conceptualization of young adults' circumstances - independent from age and social context - provides a limited understanding of the progression of health inequalities over the life-course. Research needs to consider the dynamic and intersecting nature of transition milestones during this intensive life period.