Document Detail


Ever-pregnant and never-pregnant teens in a temporary housing shelter.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  7897469     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing are of national concern; documented sequelae are numerous and varied. The primary purpose of this cross-sectional study is to describe the differences in selected demographic, sociocultural, physiological, psychological, and cognitive variables among 136 ever-pregnant and never-pregnant teens residing in a temporary housing shelter. Teens who experienced a pregnancy had significantly higher chronological age, gynecological age, and school grade level in addition to reporting significantly greater histories of both rape and voluntary sexual activity than did never-pregnant teens. This study indicates that teen pregnancy is a major problem among adolescents in temporary housing shelters. Our findings provide guidance for clinical interventions and further research with this at-risk population.
Each year, 10% of teenage girls in the US become pregnant. 84% of teen pregnancies are unintended. Many risk factors for teen pregnancy have been identified, including demographic, sociocultural, and developmental variables, but pregnancy among adolescents living in temporary housing shelters has not been previously studied. These girls, however, come from dysfunctional homes and many experience teen pregnancy. This study was conducted to describe the differences in selected demographic, sociocultural, physiological, psychological, and cognitive variables among 136 ever-pregnant and never-pregnant teens residing in a temporary housing shelter over the course of a one-year period. The study site is a 12-bed facility for abused and neglected adolescents aged 12-18 years in the suburb of a large metropolitan area. The shelter was founded in 1975 to provide up to six weeks of emergency housing for female teenagers. Data were obtained through chart reviews at the shelter. 30% of the girls were ever pregnant and 70% were never pregnant. The study found teens who had been pregnant to have significantly higher chronological age, gynecological age, and school grade level in addition to reporting significantly greater histories of both rape and voluntary sexual activity than did never-pregnant teens. Teen pregnancy is indeed a major problem among adolescents in temporary housing shelters. Clinical interventions and further research are therefore warranted with regard to this situation.
Authors:
L Sheaff; M Talashek
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of community health nursing     Volume:  12     ISSN:  0737-0016     ISO Abbreviation:  J Community Health Nurs     Publication Date:  1995  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1995-04-26     Completed Date:  1995-04-26     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8411341     Medline TA:  J Community Health Nurs     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  33-45     Citation Subset:  IM; J; N    
Affiliation:
College of Nursing (m/c 802), University of Illinois at Chicago 60612.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Chi-Square Distribution
Cross-Sectional Studies
Culture
Female
Housing / statistics & numerical data*
Humans
Models, Nursing
Pregnancy
Pregnancy in Adolescence / physiology,  psychology,  statistics & numerical data*
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Socioeconomic Factors

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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