MODELLING REGIONAL DIFFERENTIAL OF EARLY CHILDBEARING AMONG WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Early child bearing(EC) remains a public health problem in developing countries particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. The Socio economic and health implication of this demographic hazard is enormous. In Nigeria, early child bearing is one of the cultural practices in some parts of the country most especially where women are poorly educated. Studies that explore regional differences in EC are relatively scarce in Nigeria. Therefore, this study explores modelling regional differential of EC among women of child bearing age in Nigeria. The study is based on the analysis of National Demographic and health Survey (NDHS), 2008 data set. The Data were analysed using the frequency Distribution, Chi-square and Cox-proportional hazard model. Early child bearing in the context of this study was defined as women who had their first birth at ages less than 18 years. There were variation in patterns of early child bearing across age, education, religion, wealth Index, Place of residence. The respondents in the Northern region showed a higher proportion of earlier ages at First birth. North Central (58.4%), North East (69.6%). North west (70.5%) as compared to respondents from the Southern parts. South east(35.6%). South South (36.3%) and South west (42.0%). When early childbearing was cross tabulated with the socio-demographic characteristics, It was also observed that the pattern of early childbearing too varied across the regions in Nigeria. Respondents with no education from the Northern parts showed a higher proportion of early childbearing. North Central (41.5%), North East (57.7%). North west (54.0%) as compared to southern parts. South east (35.9%), South South (39.0%), South west (28.2%). In the Cox proportional Hazard model of early childbearing in the whole country, the hazards of having early childbearing was 3%, (95% C.I=0.25-0.36) of those with higher education and 92% of those with primary education (95% C.l=0.87-0.98) as compared to those with no level of education. Early child bearing is still a common practice in Nigeria and It is more common among women residence in the regions in the North than south. Health education targeting early child bearing (EC) should be improved in Nigeria and should focus more in the Northern region.