Understanding adolescent parenthood from a multisystemic perspective.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the associations between social, behavioral, and environmental factors and adolescent parenthood.


METHODS
We analyzed data from a subsample of participants, 18-30 years of age (n=7,937), who took part in the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative survey of adults. An extended Cox proportional hazards model was used to model time until becoming an adolescent parent (i.e., age at which first child was born if < or =18 years). Predictor variables of interest included initiation of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and daily cigarette use, age of earliest conduct disorder symptom, having a parent with alcohol and/or drug problems, parental death, divorce and/or separation, race/ethnicity, and gender.


RESULTS
Several variables were associated with adolescent parenthood, including initiation of daily cigarette smoking, age of first antisocial/conduct disorder symptom, and race/ethnicity. Parental alcohol/drug problems and parental death were also associated with adolescent parenthood for women. A significant interaction between initiation of daily cigarette smoking and ethnicity was present for women. Daily cigarette smoking was associated with adolescent parenthood to a greater degree than nondaily cigarette smoking for white and Hispanic women but not African American women. No significant associations were found between adolescent parenthood and initiation of drinking, marijuana, or cocaine and parental divorce/separation.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention efforts should focus on adolescents who are at highest risk of adolescent parenthood.
Cavazos-Rehg
Patricia A
PA
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. rehgp@psychiatry.wustl.edu
Spitznagel
Edward L
EL
Krauss
Melissa J
MJ
Schootman
Mario
M
Bucholz
Kathleen K
KK
Cottler
Linda B
LB
Bierut
Laura J
LJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2000 May 1;59 Suppl 1:S61-81
10773438
J Adolesc Health. 2001 Jun;28(6):465-73
11377990
Dev Psychopathol. 2006 Winter;18(1):275-94
16478563
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007 Dec;31(12):2046-52
18034697
Tob Control. 2002 Jun;11 Suppl 2:ii71-3
12034986
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2008 Feb;32(2):322-30
18162066
J Health Soc Behav. 1995 Dec;36(4):360-76
8719054
Pediatrics. 2004 Feb;113(2):320-7
14754944
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004 Apr;61(4):361-8
15066894
JAMA. 1987 Sep 18;258(11):1500-4
3625950
Twin Res. 2002 Oct;5(5):482-7
12537881
J Stud Alcohol Suppl. 2002 Mar;(14):206-25
12022726
J Subst Abuse. 2001;13(3):265-82
11693451
Pediatrics. 2003 Jan;111(1):34-41
12509551
Prev Med. 1998 Sep-Oct;27(5 Pt 3):A9-18
9808813
BMC Public Health. 2005 Jul 25;5:79
16042801
Am J Public Health. 1993 Jun;83(6):851-5
8498623
Am J Prev Med. 2000 Jul;19(1 Suppl):18-25
10863126
Demography. 1999 Feb;36(1):135-44
10036598
MMWR Surveill Summ. 2008 Jun 6;57(4):1-131
18528314
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2007 Mar;61(3):221-5
17325399
Am J Public Health. 2008 Mar;98(3):468-77
18235067
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2008 Jan-Feb;37(1):42-50
18226156
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2001 Dec 1;65(1):1-8
11714584
Am J Public Health. 2000 Dec;90(12):1879-84
11111260
Pediatrics. 2001 Jul;108(1):185-9
11433075
Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2006 Jun;38(2):90-6
16772190
Dev Psychopathol. 1999 Winter;11(1):127-41
10208359