Determinants of Early Marriage in Musi Rawas, South Sumatera

Abstract

Background: There are numerous problems a couple can face when marriage happens at an early age, to name just a few of them: (1) Psychological and emotional stress stemming from forced sexual relations, denial of freedom and personal development, as household chores now become a priority; (2) Maturity issue as the little girl is now expected to play the role of a mother. This study aimed to determine factors associated with early marriage in Musi Rawas, South Sumatera. Subjects and Method: A cross sectional study was conducted in Musi Rawas, South Sumatera. A sample of 193 newly married women were selected for this study. The dependent variable was early marriage (marital age ≥20 years versus <20 years). The independent variables were unintended pregnancy, maternal education, parental income, and parental religious belief. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed by a multiple logistic regression. Results: The risk of early marriage increased with unintended pregnancy (OR= 2.55; p= 0.044), low maternal education (OR= 3.71; p= 0.028), low parental income (OR= 4.76; p= 0.017), and un-favorable parental religious belief (OR= 4.11; p= 0.016) Conclusion: The risk of early marriage increases with unintended pregnancy, low maternal education, low parental income, and unfavorable parental religious belief. Keywords: early marriage, unintended pregnancy, maternal education, parental income, parental religious belief.