Determinants of Child Marriage and Its Related Adverse Health Outcomes Among Married Women in Sub-Region of Serejeka, Central Region in Eritrea: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Child marriage is a fundamental violation of human rights that can have numerous adverse effects on girls' social, mental and physical health and wellbeing. Marriage in Eritrea relatively occurs earlier for women. This study aimed to assess the magnitude of child marriage, determinants and its related adverse health outcomes in five selected villages of the sub-region of Serejeka in Central region of Eritrea.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 married women aged 18 to 30 years who are residents of five selected villages of the sub-region of Serejeka between July 12 and August 20, 2018. The sampling design was stratified random sampling and data were collected using an interview-based questionnaire. Descriptive and analytical statistics including chi-square test and logistic regression were employed using SPSS (v.22).

Results: The prevalence of child marriage was found to be 42% [95% CI (35.1, 48.9)]. The maximum and minimum age at marriage were 14 and 29, respectively. No formal education/primary level (AOR = 22.08, 95% CI: 4.16, 117.24), junior educational level (AOR = 6.95, 95% CI: 3.48, 13.87) and decision on the marriage (AOR = 4.30, 95% CI: 1.03, 17.92) were the significant determinants of child marriage. Prolonged labour (OR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1. 32, 5.98), abortion (OR = 3.95, 95% CI: 1.63, 9.53), hemorrhage during birth (OR = 4.83, 95% CI: 1.68, 13.87), spousal violence (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.75), pressure/stress (OR = 4.83, 95% CI: 1.68, 13.87), termination of education (OR = 8.24, 95% CI: 4.35, 15.63) and stigma or isolation from their society (OR = 7.38, 95% CI: 3.03, 17.98) were significant adverse health outcomes associated with child marriage.

Conclusion: This study revealed that child marriage was still a common practice. It is associated with detrimental physical health, psychological well-being and socio-economic status. This mandates policy makers and program managers to focus their programs on delaying entry of children into wedlock and motherhood by providing information, education and enhancing communication with their community.