Epidemiology and health consequences of early marriage: focus on Delta State Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20203948Keywords:
Early marriage, Health consequences, Health literacy, Morbidity and mortality level, Prevalence rates, Public health concernsAbstract
Early marriage occurs for several reasons including gender inequality, poverty, insecurity and tradition. Marrying at such a young age means that these young girls are forced into sexual relations and often get pregnant when they are not ready, causing health challenges and adding to the health burden in developing countries. This paper reviews the epidemiology of early marriage with particular regards to the public health concepts and negative consequences of early marriage. This was a narrative review of previous works on early marriage. Evaluations included the statistics of the negative consequences on women and how best the practices have been ameliorated to its barest minimum. No data available on the previous works dearth of contextualized epidemiological information about Delta State Nigeria. However, available data shows as high as 88% prevalence rate of child marriage in Nigeria, with unexpected pregnancy at 23% being the major cause, maternal mortality at 90%, VVF over 500,000–1,000,000 reported annually in developing countries as the major health consequences. The causes, consequences and prevalence of early marriage constitute reasons for public health concerns to stem the tide. Willful and urgent attention is needed to prevent the pitiable situation of the victims, especially girls. Health literacy is a primary healthcare concept of community educational outreach to adopt.
References
UNICEF. Child marriage; 2017. https://www.unicef. org/rosa/what-we-do/child-protection/child-marriage. Accessed 30 March 2020.
United Nations Human Rights. Child, early and forced marriage, including in humanitarian settings; 2019. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Women/ WRGS/Pages/ChildMarriage.aspx. Accessed 25 June 2020.
UNICEF. Early marriage: A harmful traditional practice; 2005. https://www.unicef.org/publications/ index_26024.html (2005, accessed 30/03/2020).
UNICEF. Child marriage, adolescent pregnancy and family formation in West and Central Africa: Patterns, trends and drivers of change; 2015. https://www.unicef.org/wca/reports/child-marriage-adolescent-pregnancy-and-family-formation-west-and-central-africa. Accessed 30 March 2020).
Agege EA, Nwose EU and Odjimogho S. Parental perception of girl-child early marriage amongst the Urhobos in Nigeria. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2018;5:3185-90.
Bendriss N. Report on the practice of forced marriage in Canada: Interviews with frontline workers exploratory research conducted in Montreal and Toronto in 2008 (Toronto); 2016. https://www.justice. gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/fv-vf/fm-mf/fm_eng.pdf. Accessed 30 March 2020.
Reid K. Untying the knot: 10 worst places for child marriage; 2018. https://www.worldvision.org/child-protection-news-stories/10-worst-places-child-marriage. Accessed 28 March 2020.
UNICEF. Child marriage; 2019. https://data.unicef. org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/. Accessed 25 June 2020.
UNICEF. Ending child marriage: Progress and prospects; 2019. https://data.unicef.org/resources/ ending-child-marriage-progress-and-prospects/. Accessed 30 June 2020.
Eruvbetere JO. Urhobo traditional marriage and modern influences upon its institution; 2003. http://www.waado.org/urhobo_kinsfolk/archive/conferences/fourth_annual/cultural_session/marriage-eruvbetere.html. Accessed 13 October 2017.
Save the Child Nigeria. Changing the story (of the Nigerian girl-child); 2016. https://resourcecentre. savethechildren.net/node/10043/pdf/nigeria.pdf. Accessed 30 March 2020.
Schantz-Dunn J, Nour NM. Malaria and pregnancy: a global health perspective. Rev Obstet Gynecol 2009;2:186-92.
Nour NM. Child marriage: a silent health and human rights issue. Rev Obstet Gynecol 2009;2:51-6.
Agege EA, Nwose EU and Odjimogho S. Parents’ perception on factors of early marriage among the Urhobos in Delta State of Nigeria. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2018;5:411-15.
UNICEF. The state of the world’s children 2016: A fair chance for every child; 2016. https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/5881d0ed4.pdf. Accessed 25 June 2020.
Dangal G, Thapa K, Yangzom K, Karki A. Obstetric fistula in the developing world: An agonising tragedy. Nepal J Obstet Gynaecol. 2014;8:5-15.
Chandra-Mouli V, Camacho AV, Michaud PA. WHO guidelines on preventing early pregnancy and poor reproductive outcomes among adolescents in developing countries. J Adolesc Health 2013;52:517-22.
Clark S. Early marriage and HIV risks in sub‐Saharan Africa. Studies in family planning. 2004;35:149-60.
Hampton T. Child marriage threatens girls' health. JAMA. 2010;304:509-10.
Santhya KG. Early marriage and sexual and reproductive health vulnerabilities of young women: a synthesis of recent evidence from developing countries. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2011;23:334-9.
Kassebaum NJ, Barber RM, Bhutta ZA, Dandona l, Gething PW, Hay SI, et al. Global, regional, and national levels of maternal mortality, 1990-2013; 2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet. 2016;388:1775-812.
World Health Organization. Obstetric fistula; 2018. https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/10-facts-on-obstetric-fistula. Accessed 25 June 2020.
Tunçalp Ö, Tripathi V, Landry E, Cynthia K Stantonc, Ahmedc S. Measuring the incidence and prevalence of obstetric fistula: approaches, needs and recommendations. Bulletin of the World Health Org. 2015;93:60-2.
Gage AJ. Association of child marriage with suicidal thoughts and attempts among adolescent girls in Ethiopia. J Adolesc Health 2013;52:654-6.
Agege EA, Nwose EU, Odjimogho S. Legalities of child marriage in Nigeria: Implications on health and strategies of prevention. Sex Health Issues. 2017;1:1-4.
Neal S, Matthews Z, Frost M, Fogstad H, Camacho AV, Laski L. Childbearing in adolescents aged 12-15 years in low resource countries: a neglected issue. New estimates from demographic and household surveys in 42 countries. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. 2012;91:1114-8.
Bell Bajao. What causes early marriage? 2012. http://www.bellbajao.org/what-causes-early-marriage/. Accessed 10 August 2017.
Darroch JE, Woog V, Bankole A. Adding it up: Costs and benefits of meeting the contraceptive needs of adolescents; 2016. https://www.guttmacher .org/report/adding-it-meeting-contraceptive-needs-of-adolescents#. Accessed 30 March 2020.
Radhakrishnan M. Health promotion and disease prevention through population-based interventions, including action to address social determinants and health inequity. J Nurs Care. 2017;6:38.
Umana K. Early child marriage in Nigeria: causes, effects solutions; 2019. https://researchcyber.com/ early-child-marriage-nigeria-causes-effects-solutions/. Accessed 30 March 2020.
Nour NM. Health consequences of child marriage in Africa. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2006;12:1644-9.
Sezgin AU and Punamäki R-L. Impacts of early marriage and adolescent pregnancy on mental and somatic health: the role of partner violence. Archives of Women's Mental Health. 2020;23:155-66.
Equality Now. What are the long term impacts of child marriage? Your questions answered; 2019. https://www.equalitynow.org/long_term_impacts_child_marriage. Accessed 30 March 2020.
Rajaian S, Pragatheeswarane M, Panda A. Vesicovaginal fistula: Review and recent trends. Indian J Urol. 2019;35:250-8.
Girum T, Wasie A, Lentiro K. Gender disparity in epidemiological trend of HIV/AIDS infection and treatment in Ethiopia. Arch Public Health 2018;76:51.
Abdullahi A, Nwose EU, Nwajei SD. Impact of HIV/AIDS awareness on the sexual behaviour of undergraduate students. J Health Sci Res. 2017;2:5-9.
Okpokumoku SE, Nwose EU, Nwajei SD. Sexual behaviour, knowledge and use of contraceptives among undergraduate students. J Health Sci Res. 2017;2:10-17.
