Do family factors protect against sexual risk behaviour and teenage pregnancy among multiply disadvantaged young people? Findings from an English longitudinal study.

UNLABELLED: Background Structure and parenting within family of origin have been found to be determinants of sexual risk and teenage pregnancy in the general youth population. Few studies have examined determinants of sexual risk among disadvantaged young people; those that do have not examined teenage pregnancy outcomes.

METHODS

Longitudinal data from a cohort of multiply disadvantaged at-risk young people aged 13-15 years living in deprived neighbourhoods in England (n=1285) were analysed to examine how family structure, communication with parents and parental interest in education were associated with heterosexual debut, contraception use, expectation of teenage pregnancy and teenage pregnancy.

RESULTS

At follow-up, young women living with both biological parents were less likely than other young women to become pregnant (odds ratio (OR)=0.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04-0.97). Young women who could talk to their mothers about private things were less likely to expect to become a teenage parent (OR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.37-0.99). Those whose parents cared very much how they did at school were less likely to report contraception nonuse (OR=0.44, 95% CI: 0.21-0.93). After adjustment, no associations between any family factors and sexual health outcomes were found for young men.

CONCLUSIONS

We found limited evidence for family-related effects on sexual health risk or teenage pregnancy among disadvantaged young women in England and no evidence of risk factors within the home environment for young men's outcomes. This suggests that targeted family-based interventions may not be appropriate for addressing these outcomes.