Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Education and Promotion

Advisor

Shelley Summers-Karn

Abstract

Teen (or adolescent) pregnancy remains a significant public health problem in the United States. Rapid repeat pregnancy, defined as any pregnancy that occurs within 24 months of a previous birth, has been linked to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to understand the perceptions of health care providers (HCPs) regarding barriers that influence repeat pregnancies among adolescents in rural southeastern United States. The theoretical framework that guided this study was Urie Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological model. A survey instrument was developed and disseminated to HCPs using Qualtrics, an online survey platform. Data (n=32) were collected, downloaded from Qualtrics, and recoded in SPSS. A 2x2 chi-square analysis was performed to examine the impact (or association) of identified barriers by HCPs and racial ethnicity of adolescents on number of repeat pregnancies. Results of the study revealed no significant association between identified barriers by HCPs belonging to the practice and clinician subgroups and racial ethnicity of adolescents on number of repeat pregnancies. However, there was a statistically significant association between identified barriers by HCPs belonging to the family/patient, community, and sociocultural subgroups and racial ethnicity of adolescents on number of repeat pregnancies. The results of this study could lead to implications for positive social change at the familial, organizational, and societal and policy levels, where it is essential to develop specific tailored interventions to help both HCPs and adolescents reduce repeat pregnancies.

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