Teenage childbirth and risk of mental illness, substance misuse and offending during young adulthood

• In Event: Better addressing the needs of incarcerated mothers and their children: Transforming Corrections to Transform Lives

Abstract

Teenage childbirth is considered a contributing factor to lifelong health and social disparities for mothers; however, this evidence is mostly derived from cross-sectional studies utilising self-report surveys and limited to one or a few psychosocial outcomes. We compared the risk of different psychosocial outcomes during young adulthood, including mental illness, substance misuse, and offending, among teenage (< 20 years) and adult mothers (≥ 20 years). Data included females born in Queensland, Australia, in 1983 and 1984, followed to age 29-31 years who were registered as mothers via birth records (N = 18,188). Mental illness and substance misuse were drawn from inpatient hospital records. Information related to offending was obtained from police and court records. Risk of adverse psychosocial outcomes in young adulthood were compared between teenage and adult mothers with and without adjustment and after propensity score matching.

The lifetime prevalence of adverse psychosocial outcomes was significantly higher among teenage mothers compared to adult mothers (54.7% vs 22.3%). Offending was the most common adverse outcome in both groups. Both regression analyses and propensity score matched analysis revealed that teenage childbirth is a significant risk factor for adverse psychosocial outcomes in young adulthood. This study provides evidence of increased risk of mental illness, substance misuse, and offending during young adulthood among teenage mothers compared to adult mothers even after controlling for known covariates. This highlights the need for holistic, continual, and integrated support for teenage mothers to improve their health and social outcomes over time.

Authors

• Diksha Sapkota, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia

• Carleen Thompson, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia

• James Ogilvie, Griffith University

• Susan Dennison, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia