Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds Research Articles

What Determines the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices in Farmlands and Public Lands? A Case Study from the Terai Region in Nepal

While agroforestry has been well acknowledged for its influential role and benefits in integrated resource management in the global south, its adoption in forest-rich countries with existing community conflict situations is under-explored. Through structured questionnaire surveys and focus group discussions, this study explored the context and factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry practices on farmlands and public lands in the Terai region of southern Nepal. Results from logistic regression models revealed that adoption of agroforestry practices on both farmland and public land could contribute to mitigating conflicts between northern and southern communities. In addition, the adoption of agroforestry practices can be explained by socio-demographic and economic factors such as education, ethnicity, well-being, and gender. Strong cooperation between agroforestry initiatives and local institutions such as forest user groups and local governments in educating and empowering local people from lower socio-economic backgrounds is critical for widespread adoption of agroforestry practices in similar resource-use conflict regions.

Up in smoke? Limited evidence of a smoking harm paradox in 17-year cohort study

BackgroundSocioeconomic differences in the impact of alcohol consumption on health have been consistently reported in the so-called “alcohol harm paradox” (i.e., individuals from higher socioeconomic backgrounds (SES) drink more alcohol than individuals from lower SES, but the latter accrue more alcohol-related harm). Despite the severe health risks of smoking however, there is a scarcity of studies examining a possible “smoking harm paradox” (SHP). We aim to fill this gap.MethodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study with adolescents from the Norwegian Longitudinal Health Behaviour Study (NLHB). Our study used data from ages 13 to 30 years. To analyse our data, we used the random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) with smoking and self-reported health as mutual lagged predictors and outcomes as well as parental income and education as grouping variables. Parental income and education were used as proxies for adolescent socioeconomic status (SES). Smoking was examined through frequency of smoking (every day, every week, less than once a week, not at all). General health compared to others was measured by self-report.ResultsOverall, we found inconclusive evidence of the smoking harm paradox, as not all effects from smoking to self-reported health were moderated by SES. Nevertheless, the findings do suggest that smoking predicted worse subjective health over time among individuals in the lower parental education group compared with those in the higher parental education group. This pattern was not found for parental income.ConclusionsWhile our results suggest limited evidence for a smoking harm paradox (SHP), they also suggest that the impact of adolescent smoking on later subjective health is significant for individuals with low parental education but not individuals with high parental education. This effect was not found for parental income, highlighting the potential influence of parental education over income as a determinant of subjective health outcomes in relation to smoking.

Relationships between student mobility and academic and behavioural outcomes in Western Australian public primary schools

The number of times children change schools, or student mobility, is associated with multiple adverse outcomes across the life span. This study used administrative data from the Western Australian Department of Education for public primary school students who completed Year 6 between 2016 and 2019 to examine potential associations between student mobility and academic (using National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy [NAPLAN] participation and scores) and behaviour outcomes (measured through school suspensions). The odds of participating (vs. not participating) in NAPLAN were significantly lower for students with high mobility. High mobility students also achieved significantly lower scores, on average, on NAPLAN literacy and numeracy at Year 3 and Year 5 compared with low mobility students. However, there was no evidence of an association between student mobility and school suspensions. These findings highlight the need for action to address substantial academic detriment for mobile students, many of whom are likely to be from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Furthermore, current policies to address academic disadvantage are likely to exclude those students at substantial academic risk and require revision to be appropriately triaged.

The burden of student loan debt: differences in socioeconomic background and attitudes towards higher education

Increased reliance on student loans to finance higher education (HE) raises concerns about unequal access and repayment burdens. However, who borrows and what motivates students and parents to borrow remain unclear. A longitudinal survey tracked parents and students from high school into their early career to explore the effects of socioeconomic background and attitudes towards HE on taking out student loans in Japan. The findings reveal that, first, families’ economic circumstances are negatively associated with taking out student loans. Second, students, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, may choose a two-year rather than four-year institution to reduce debt. Third, students and their mothers differ in their motivations for borrowing: students’ perceived risk of failing to graduate discourages them from borrowing money, whereas mothers attach more importance to the cost–benefit of student loans. These results have policy implications for alleviating debt burden and promoting equal access to HE.

Canadian Nova Scotian Black learners in the Individualised Program Plan (IPP): intersectionality analysis and findings from a household survey

ABSTRACT In the Canadian Nova Scotian education system, the Individualised Program Plan (IPP) is designed to support students for whom the public school programme curriculum outcomes are not applicable or attainable. Schools can also place students in IPP programmes based on their behaviour. For minority students, especially Blacks, evaluation reports indicate their over-representation in these programmes and, therefore, the need for this research. Through intersectionality analysis of a household survey, our study explores how students’ multiple identities impact their designation as IPP. Our analysis indicated that schools tend to place Black male/female students from non-immigrant households with low socioeconomic backgrounds in IPP programmes making students with these multiple identities the most vulnerable. We argue for an intersectionality framework to address this challenge and inform the implementation of the current Nova Scotia inclusive education policy.

The Management of Death Charity Financial Fund: A Study of Principles and it's Application in Ar-Rahmah Sungai Buaya Mosque, Rawang, Selangor Malaysia

Purpose: This study aims to identify the management of the Death Charity Financial Fund (DCFF) through the approach of principles and practices implemented at Ar-Rahmah Sungai Buaya Rawang mosque, Selangor, Malaysia. Theoretical framework: Death Charity Financial Fund (DCFF) is an initiative in collecting donations in preparation for death. The rising cost of funeral expenses has pushed the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and mosque institutions to establish a death charity financial fund. However, the local community considers the mosque a suitable entity for administering the Death Charity Financial Fund. Due to there is no specific law on how to manage it, its applicability differs depending on the mosque. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopted a qualitative approach that involved conducting semi-structured interviews with two academicians and mosque manager who are directly involved and responsible for managing the DCFF. In the meantime, through a quantitative approach, managed to gather 70 respondents from communities. Findings: The results of the study found that the principles and application of DCFF in mosque institutions have been in accordance with Shariah and law. Research, Practical & Social implications: The implications of this study found that the establishment of a DCFF is to lessen the burden on the deceased person's family, particularly for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Originality/Value: The study is expected to benefit the community in providing supplies on the day of death, so that family members feel light and easy in financing the funeral management. Also contribute to a financial management system that is required to be made by the Death Charity Financial Fund member group in a comprehensive manner.

Emerging Adulthood in Russia: Class and Educational Disparities

“Emerging adulthood” is a unique developmental stage between adolescence and early adulthood. During this period, individuals experience a transition towards adult roles and begin to view their lives as full of opportunities for identity exploration, experimentation, possibilities, and self-focus. Previous research has questioned the universality of emerging adulthood as a developmental stage and its’ applicability to young adults from lower socioeconomic backgrounds without higher education. This paper contributes to this debate by analyzing the relationships between education, socioeconomic background, and emerging adulthood. We use the Inventory of the Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (IDEA) to measure emerging adulthood among 2177 Russian young people aged 24-26 who participated in the Russian Longitudinal Panel Study of Educational and Occupational Trajectories (TrEC) in 2021. Our findings confirm that emerging adulthood is not limited to the US, where the concept was coined, but also occurs in developing countries.

Adolescents’ loneliness in European schools: a multilevel exploration of school environment and individual factors

BackgroundLoneliness has been recognized as a public health issue and has moved into a number of European countries’ policy agendas. Literature examining loneliness in young people (and especially in adolescents) is scarce, but it does show that at this age feelings of loneliness have been increasing in recent decades and are detrimental for both adolescents’ current and future well-being. In order to explain loneliness, current literature focuses generally on individual, rather than on broader, environmental characteristics. This study examines school associates of loneliness and compares their importance to those at the individual level because schools are the most important places in which adolescents are socially embedded. In addition, policy interventions on loneliness might be more feasible at the school than the individual level.MethodsThis study uses a single-item measure of adolescents’ loneliness feelings in schools and exploits rich data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2018) on 23 European countries covering 118,698 students (50.2% female) in 4,819 schools. This study applies multi-level models to investigate school level factors jointly with those at the individual level.ResultsDifferences between European schools can explain a 20% variation in feelings of loneliness, thereby indicating the importance of the school environment. Furthermore, adolescents’ bullying experiences and a bullying climate in school more than doubles incidences of loneliness. In addition, a cooperative climate as well as teacher support can considerably decrease school loneliness. Cross-level interactions do exist: being from a lower socioeconomic background for instance, while not important generally, increases loneliness feelings if most of the school peers are from a better socioeconomic background. School factors appear to be more important for explaining young people’s loneliness incidence than individual characteristics.ConclusionThis is the first study to compare school level and individual level factors relating to youth loneliness in schools throughout Europe. Results emphasizing the importance of school environment for explaining adolescents’ loneliness suggest that school level initiatives may be most appropriate in tackling loneliness when compared to wider and less contextualized national policies that focus on adolescents outside of school.

Overcoming the Digital Divide for Older Patients With Respiratory Disease: Focus Group Study.

The need for and adoption of eHealth programs are growing worldwide. However, access can be limited among patients with low socioeconomic backgrounds, often resulting in a so-called "digital divide" due to a mismatch between eHealth and target populations that can gain benefit. This digital divide can result in unsuccessful eHealth implementations, which is of critical importance to health care. This study evaluated the opinions of elderly patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) about an existing pharmacy-based personalized patient web portal that provides medication overview and information on associated diagnoses. The aim was to obtain insights on the common barriers of elderly people when using health-related websites, which can help to improve accessibility. This was a cross-sectional qualitative study of a patient panel of the Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD in primary care. Participants were required to be older than 55 years, be Dutch speaking, have no prior experience with the study website, and be diagnosed with a chronic respiratory illness. Two focus groups were created, and they completed a 45-minute session for testing the website and a 120-minute session for semistructured interviews. The focus group sessions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by content analysis. We enrolled 11 patients (9 women) with a mean age of 66 (SD 9) years. Of these, 5 had asthma, 3 had COPD, 2 had asthma-COPD overlap syndrome, and 1 had bronchiectasis. Participants were generally positive about the website, especially the areas providing disease-related information and the medication overview. They appreciated that the website would enable them to share this information with other health care providers. However, some difficulties were reported with navigation, such as opening a new tab, and others reported that the layout of the website was difficult either because of visual impairments or problems with navigation. It was also felt that monitoring would only be relevant if it is also checked by health care professionals as part of a treatment plan. Participants mentioned few privacy or safety concerns. It is feasible to develop websites for elderly patients; however, developers must take the specific needs and limitations of elderly people into account (eg, navigation problems, poor vision, or poor hand-eye coordination). The provision of information appears to be the most important aspect of the website, and as such, we should endeavor to ensure that the layout and navigation remain basic and accessible. Patients are only motivated to use self-management applications if they are an integrated part of their treatment. The usability of the website can be improved by including older people during development and by implementing design features that can improve accessibility in this group.

Uptake of a Universal Sports Subsidy Program for School-Aged Children: A Population Data Analysis.

Around 40% of Australian children do not participate in sport. Cost is a major barrier to participation, particularly for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This study aimed to evaluate the uptake of a population-level children's sports subsidy scheme, including sociodemographic differences in uptake. A state-wide cross-sectional analysis comparing sports voucher claimants (primary school-aged children with a valid Medicare or Australian visa number) from the 2019 financial year with population census data from South Australia. Chi-square was used to examine whether the percentage of eligible children who claimed a voucher differed based on age, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), and geographical remoteness. Subgroup analyses were conducted for the lowest 2 socioeconomic disadvantage deciles, split by gender. Scatterplots were used to compare sports between high and low SES children. A total of 74,668 children claimed sports vouchers (45.5% of eligible children). Children who were relatively younger, female, from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and from major cities were least likely to claim the voucher. The 5 most common sports were Australian rules football (30.2%), netball (13.6%), soccer (13.1%), gymnastics (10.4%), and basketball (5.7%), with the popular sports similar for high and low SES children. Future work is needed to understand how Sports Voucher, and sport participation rates have changed over time, and to improve voucher uptake among girls, city dwellers, and low SES children.

Determinants of Quality of Life in Family Caregivers of Patients With Leukemia: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to determine the quality of life of family caregivers of patients with leukemia and the factors contributing to it. The RAND 36-Item was used to collect data from 152 caregivers. The mean scores of six dimensions of Quality of life (QoL) were low, indicating a limited health state. Caregivers’ educational level, age, number of admissions, time since diagnosis, relationship with the patient, and family income significantly predicted the caregivers’ QOL. This study confirms the need for ongoing interventions to improve caregivers’ quality of life. Particular attention should be paid to older caregivers, who have low education, are from a low socioeconomic background, and care for the patients for a long time. Oncology nurses must ensure that family caregivers receive the appropriate support and resources to care for their patients at home and to assess the areas of need to achieve a better quality of life for patients and their caregivers.

Concurrent incidence of noma and necrotizing fasciitis in a male child: A rare clinical case report from a referral hospital in Northwest Nigeria

ABSTRACT Rationale: Noma and necrotizing fasciitis are rapidly destructive gangrenous infections with different patterns of spread. This study aimed to present a case of concurrently occurring noma and necrotizing fascitis in a 3-year-old child. Patient Concern: A 3-year-old child with a low socioeconomic background presented with a main complaint of a painful wound on the gum, upper lip, and chest region. Diagnosis: Thorough history and examination revealed simultaneously occurring noma lesion extending from the inner labial mucosa to the upper lip and NF on the chest region on background anemia and malnutrition. Intervention: The patient was successfully treated with antibiotics, serial wound debridement, and supportive therapy. Outcome: The length of hospital stay was 6 weeks and there was uneventful healing. The patient is being followed up for complete resolution. Lessons: In this study, noma and NF were found to occur concurrently in a patient with malnutrition and anemia and Klebsiella species were the isolates in both wounds and could have been the common causative agent for both.

Explorations to Overcome Socio-Economic Barriers in Learning and Thinking: A Flipped Classroom Study

The present study aims to examine the effect of the flipped classroom model on the academic achievement and critical-analytic thinking skills of students from different socio-economic backgrounds. For this purpose, two schools in the same province, attended by children from families with varying socio-economic levels, were included in the study. The study sample consisted of a total of 82 students: 30 from a secondary school with students from a low socio-economic background and 52 from another secondary school with students from a high socio-economic background in the 2021-2022 academic year. The study was designed based on the quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control groups. Experimental and control groups consisting of one class each, and four classes in total, were selected from the schools using the random assignment method. The total application period was 9 weeks while the duration of the experimental applications was 7 weeks (28 class hours). In the present study utilizing Edpuzzle, an online platform, interactive videos were developed in accordance with the learning outcomes of the course. Data were collected using the 25-item “Sun, Earth and Moon Achievement Test” applied to determine the learning levels of the students and the 72-item “Cornell Conditional Reasoning Test” applied to measure critical-analytic thinking skills. In conclusion, it was revealed that although there was no significant change in critical-analytic thinking skills, the flipped classroom model provided a significant increase in the academic achievement and critical-analytic thinking skills of students from both socio-economic backgrounds.

Exploring the Magnitude, Characteristics and Socio-economic Contexts of Witchcraft-Related Eldercides in Kenya

AbstractMany eldercides in African societies are motivated by witchcraft beliefs. Yet, witchcraft-related eldercide remains an understudied criminological subject. The present study explores the scale, features and socio-cultural and economic contexts of witchcraft-related elder homicide in Kenya. A total of 94 media articles reporting the witchcraft-related killings of 136 older people in Kenya between January 2012 and December 2021 were perused. Key information about the victims and perpetrators and the circumstances surrounding each event/eldercide was collected and critically analysed. The data suggest that approximately 75% of witchcraft-related homicide victims in Kenya are 60 years old and above. Most victims were females (mainly widows) of low socio-economic backgrounds. All the cases occurred in rural communities, and the perpetrators were largely young adult males. Arson, slashing with a machete and clubbing/beating were the dominant methods used to kill alleged witches. Most killings were motivated by the belief that the victims caused misfortunes/calamities by witchcraft. However, witchcraft allegations and concomitant killings were sometimes weaponized to obtain the victims’ property/land. Because witchcraft beliefs are deeply entrenched in the culture and philosophy of the Kenyan people, the use of a multifaceted approach may be the most appropriate way of curtailing the problem.

The impact of illicit and licit drugs on the incidence of gastroschisis in a developing country

BackgroundGastroschisis is a congenital malformation of unknown cause. Publications from developed countries associate its incidence with illicit and licit drug use. Our objective was to analyze the impact of illicit and licit drugs on the incidence of gastroschisis in a developing country. MethodsThis case–control study (1:4), was conducted in a public hospital in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. We prospectively collected data on 91 children with gastroschisis and retrospectively collected 364 randomized control children without congenital malformations. Variables included maternal consumption of illicit and licit drugs, age, body mass index (BMI), parity, socioeconomic level, education, marital status, and residence. The Mann–Whitney U, chi-square, and Fisher tests were conducted, and the odds ratio (OR), adjusted odds ratio (aOR), and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. ResultsConsumption of illicit drugs in the case (1.1 %) vs. control (0.3 %) groups was not a significant risk factor for gastroschisis (aOR: 3.55; 95 % CI: 0.21–57.70). Tobacco consumption was not a determinative factor for gastroschisis (case (2.2 %) vs. control (0 %); p = 0.005). Alcohol consumption in the case (4.4 %) vs. control (0.3 %) groups was a risk factor for gastroschisis (aOR 14.02; 95 % CI: 1.43–136.68). Young maternal age, low socioeconomic background, rural residence, and primiparity were significant risk factors for gastroschisis; high BMI had a protective effect. ConclusionIllicit drugs and tobacco use were not associated with the incidence of gastroschisis in a developing country. Alcohol was a risk factor, despite the small number of subjects consuming it. Level of evidenceIII.

Identifying Key Benefits and Characteristics of Community Gardening for Vulnerable Populations: A Systematic Review

Vulnerable communities (including people from refugee, Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse, and low socioeconomic backgrounds) represent the most at-risk populations facing inequities and negative health, economic, and social outcomes. The recent COVID-19 pandemic both highlighted and fuelled these disparities. Community gardening has emerged as a community-based solution to address these inequities, yet the research literature has largely considered outcomes for the general population rather than those with the most need. This paper represents the first systematic review to summarise the evidence on the broad impact of community gardening on outcomes for vulnerable populations. A systematic search of 13 databases (PubMed, Medline, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, Education Source, Education Resources Information Center, Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection, SocINDEX, and Allied Health and Complementary Medicine Database) for English language articles from 1985 to 2022 was conducted. There were 33 studies identified where females were substantially overrepresented in the studies compared to males, and the main criteria for vulnerability included low socioeconomic-status and culturally diverse populations. Findings revealed that community gardening provides a wide range of benefits for vulnerable populations, with social connection, health, education, and nutrition being the more commonly cited. A relative emphasis on benefits of social connections, education, and nutrition is apparent for vulnerable populations in comparison to reviews considering the general population. The quality of studies was evaluated as moderate with little information provided about program characteristics. These shortcomings reduce the understanding of what characteristics are most likely to result in improvements and limit the capacity of practitioners to translate research into policy and practice for vulnerable communities.

High sedentary behavior and low physical activity among adults in Afghanistan: results from a national cross-sectional survey.

The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and correlates of sedentary behavior and combination of sedentary behavior and low physical activity among adults in Afghanistan in 2018. This was a national representative cross-sectional study. The study utilized the data from Afghanistan STEPS survey 2018, where 3,956 adults (ages between 18 and 69 years) were interviewed at community-dwelling level. Using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, we have calculated the sedentary behavior and physical inactivity. Logistic regression was applied to investigate factors associated high sedentary behavior and low physical activity. Approximately half of the participants (49.8%) exhibited high levels of sedentary behavior, 40.3% low physical activity and 23.5% had both high sedentary behavior and low physical activity. Adjusted logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals who were employed (AOR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.88) or self-employed (AOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.38-0.94) had significantly lower odds of both high SB and low physical activity than those whose work status was unpaid. Furthermore, older age (AOR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.35-2.28), urban residence (AOR: 3.17, 95% CI: 1.72-6.05), having 4 or 5 adult household members (AOR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.21-2.58) and being underweight (AOR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.02-3.12) were found to be associated with high sedentary behavior. Moreover, factors such as female sex, having 4 or 5 or 6 or more adult household members, urban residence, overweight, and diabetes were positively associated, and male sex (AOR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.12-0.51), being employed (AOR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.88) or self-employed (AOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.38-0.94) were negatively associated with the occurrence of combination of high sedentary behavior and low physical activity. Half of the participants had high sedentary behavior, and one in four had both high sedentary behavior and low physical activity together. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behavior and promoting physical activity, particularly among vulnerable populations such as females, individuals from lower socioeconomic background, urban residents, and those with chronic conditions. Addressing these factors can contribute to improving public health outcomes and reducing negative health impacts of sedentary behavior in Afghanistan.

Parenting and teaching styles in relation to student characteristics and self-regulated learning

Parents and teachers play a key role in developing students' self-regulated learning (SRL), which is closely linked to academic achievement and acts as a protective factor for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Research has shown that authoritative parenting style, parental responsiveness, emotional warmth, behavioural control, and autonomy support are associated with better academic performance. In addition, studies have shown that the quality of the teacher-student relationship plays an important role in the development of SRL. However, there is limited research on the relationship between school and home environmental factors, student characteristics, and SRL, especially in primary school. The present study examined the relationship between parenting styles, teaching styles, student characteristics, and SRL. The sample included 328 ninth-grade students in Slovenian primary schools. SRL, parenting styles, and teaching styles were assessed using student self-reports. Using latent profile analysis, three subtypes of parenting styles (discipline-oriented parenting, democratic parenting, and responsive parenting) and three subtypes of teaching styles (autonomy-supportive teaching, diverse teaching, and directive teaching) were identified. Results indicate that students who perceive autonomy-supportive teaching and responsive parenting styles exhibit higher levels of SRL. Autonomy-supportive teaching was positively associated with student achievement. This study highlights the importance of an authoritative parenting and teaching style for the development of SRL in primary school.

Teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of reading: Can they perpetuate inequalities in reading?

What teachers know about a subject that they teach and how well informed they are about the effective ways to teach it can affect the performance of learners in their classes. The aim of this study was to investigate teachers’ and principals’ perception about reading to examine possible factors that contribute to inequalities in reading. This study was conducted in four poorly resourced schools with low academic performance in the Zambezi region of north-eastern Namibia. The schools cater for learners from pre-primary to Grade 9, and most learners are from a low socio-economic background. Drawing on a componential interactive view of reading derived from the science of reading, a qualitative research method was used with two semi-structured interview guides (one for seven Grade 5 teachers and one for four school principals) in four schools, to investigate what the participants know about reading and how to teach it. The interview results show that the teachers and the principals had limited knowledge about teaching reading comprehension. The teachers tended to ‘do’ reading rather than teach it, and they did not provide necessary reading support to learners because they did not have enough knowledge and skills about teaching reading. The findings suggest that the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture needs to strengthen teacher development programmes and that teacher training institutions need to examine the quality of their training.

Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in Maharashtra, India: a mixed-methods study

Reducing the adolescent birth rate is paramount in achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals, given that pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of mortality among young women aged 15–19. This study aimed to explore predictors of adolescent pregnancy among girls aged 13–18 years in Maharashtra, India, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a mixed-methods approach, primary data were gathered from two regions in Maharashtra between February and April 2022. Quantitative data from face-to-face interviews with 3049 adolescent girls assessed various household, social, and behavioural factors, as well as the socioeconomic and health impacts of COVID-19. Qualitative data from seven in-depth interviews were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that girls from low socioeconomic backgrounds face a higher likelihood of adolescent pregnancy. Multivariable analysis identified several factors associated with increased risk, including older age, being married, having more sexual partners, and experiencing COVID-19-related economic vulnerability. On the other hand, rural residence, secondary and higher secondary education of the participants, and higher maternal education were associated with a decreased likelihood of adolescent pregnancy. In the sub-sample of 565 partnered girls, partner's emotional abuse also correlated with higher rates of adolescent pregnancy. Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified four potential pathways leading to adolescent pregnancy: economic hardships and early marriage; personal safety, social norms, and early marriage; social expectations; and lack of knowledge on contraceptives. The findings underscore the significance of social position and behavioural factors and the impact of external shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic in predicting adolescent pregnancy in Maharashtra, India. Plain Language Summary: Adolescent pregnancy is an important health issue for young girls. In South Asia, one out of every five adolescent girls becomes a mother before turning 18, and in India, around 9% of girls aged 15–19 get pregnant yearly. This study focused on understanding the factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in Maharashtra, India, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected information from both urban and rural areas in Maharashtra. A total of 3049 adolescent girls participated in a survey, and seven girls participated in detailed interviews. Our analysis showed that factors like older age, being married, having multiple sexual partners, and experiencing economic difficulties due to COVID-19 increased the chances of adolescent pregnancy. On the other hand, living in rural areas, higher education for both the girls and their mothers reduced the likelihood of adolescent pregnancy. Qualitative analysis revealed that economic challenges, concerns about safety and societal norms, early marriage, societal expectations, and lack of knowledge about contraceptives could contribute to adolescent pregnancy in Maharashtra.