Financial Limitations and Economics of Survival-Predictors of Adolescent Pregnancies: Evidence from Teenage Boys and Girls in Luuka District, Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate evidence that adolescents, particularly girls, experience financial challenges. And such financial limitations are predictors for adolescent pregnancy. Through a case-control study design, research was conducted in Luuka district, Uganda, to examine predictors of adolescent pregnancy. Mixed methods were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. This article is written from the qualitative data collected through key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with health practitioners, parents, community leaders, and adolescents. Findings show that due to financial limitations in the community and in their families, adolescent girls are affected at a personal level. Consequently, as a means to find a solution to their financial needs, some take on petty trade, others transactional sex as personal survival strategies. These adopted strategies instead expose them to greater vulnerability, making the financial circumstances a predictor for adolescent pregnancies.