title: Long-term consequences of adolescent parenthood among African-American urban youth: a propensity score matching approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to improve understanding of long-term socioeconomic consequences of teen parenting for men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis is based on the Woodlawn Study, a longitudinal study of an African-American cohort from a socially disadvantaged community in Chicago; data were collected at childhood (N = 1,242), adolescence (N = 705), young adulthood (age 32 years, N = 952), and midlife (age 42 years, N = 833). This analysis focused on the 1,050 individuals with data on teen parenting. We used propensity score matching to account for differences in background characteristics between teenage parents and their peers and used multiple imputation to account for differential attrition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The regression models after propensity score matching showed that at the age of 32 years, in comparison to nonteen mothers, teenage mothers were more likely to be unemployed, live in poverty, depend on welfare, and have earned a GED or completed high school compared to finishing college. At the age of 32 years, teen fathers were more likely to be without a job than nonteen fathers. At the age of 42 years, the effect of teen parenting for women remained statistically significant for education and income. There were no significant associations between teen parenting and outcomes for men at the age of 42 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Socioeconomic consequences of teenage parenting among African-Americans from disadvantaged background seem to be primarily concentrated in women and persist throughout adulthood. In addition to promoting the delay of parenting after the teenage years, it is critical to provide programs at early stages in the life course to mitigate the negative socioeconomic consequences of teenage motherhood as effects for women are broad.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. Electronic address: luassini@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Luciana C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Assini-Meytin
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.
authors.forename: Kerry M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D002641:Chicago; D002648:Child; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D016487:Parenting; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057216:Propensity Score; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Longitudinal study; Socioeconomic consequences; Teen fathers; Teen mothers; Teenage pregnancy