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Perceived environmental risk as a predictor of teenage motherhood in a British population

Johns, Sarah E. (2011) Perceived environmental risk as a predictor of teenage motherhood in a British population. Health and Place, 17 (1). pp. 122-131. ISSN 10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.09.006. (doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.09.006) (KAR id:27499)

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that strong relationships exist between deprived environments and teenage motherhood. However, such studies have predominantly identified deprivation using neighbourhood-wide measures of socio-economic status. Few studies of teenage parenthood have examined how individuals perceive their environment and the importance of this perception on reproductive behaviour and timing. Using data collected from a sample of women living the county of Gloucestershire, UK, this paper explores the predictive value of two methods of assessing the environment: (1) the structural component—deprivation at the neighbourhood level and (2) the individual’s subjective experience of her pre-pregnancy environment, when examining how the wider environmental context can influence the decision of becoming a teenage mother. The results indicate that a woman’s perception of her neighbourhood of residence at the time she conceived, her perceived environmental risk, may be a more discriminating predictor of teenage motherhood than deprivation measured by ward economic and deprivation indicators.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.09.006
Uncontrolled keywords: Teenage motherhood; Risk; Perception; Pregnancy; Adolescent; Neighbourhood effects
Subjects: H Social Sciences
H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Women
Q Science > QH Natural history
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: Sarah Johns
Date Deposited: 16 Mar 2011 11:31 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:05 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/27499 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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