ADOLESCENT MATERNITY IN PERUVIAN DISTRICTS: A SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF CENSUS DATA

Objective: The aim of this study was to perform a spatial analysis of the prevalence of adolescent maternity in different districts of Peru and determine the spatial correlation with socioeconomic and sociodemographic characteristics. Material and Method: An ecological study was carried out through a spatial analysis based on the prevalence of adolescent maternity, registered in the 2017 National Census, of different districts of Peru. The global and local Moran’s Indexes were used to establish clustering patterns. A spatial lag model was performed to correlate district sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics with adolescent maternity. Results: Data from 1874 districts were analyzed. Of all the adolescents, 122.144 (10.1%) had been mothers. Some districts showed a prevalence of adolescent maternity above 40%. Ucayali, Loreto, and San Martin were the administrative regions with the highest proportion of districts with adolescent pregnancies, surrounded by districts with also a high prevalence of adolescent pregnancies. The spatial lag model analysis showed a significant and positive association for illiteracy, single marital status, rurality, and location in the Jungle natural region of the district with adolescent maternity; access to drinking water showed a negative association. Conclusion: One in ten adolescents between 15 and 19 in Peru has been a mother. The districts with the highest prevalence of adolescent maternity are located in the Peruvian jungle region. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors at the district level such as illiteracy, rurality, single marital status, and location in the Jungle natural region were positively associated with adolescent maternity. A higher prevalence of access to drinking water at the district level is associated with a lower prevalence of adolescent maternity at the district level.