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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Sílvia Reis dos Santos, MD, PhD, Instituto de Puericultura e Pediatria Martagão Gesteira - Divisão de Pesquisa, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro - Fundação Educacional Serra dos Órgãos - Brazil, R. Candido Gaffrée 27 apto. 302 - Urca, Rio de Janeiro, 22291-080, Brazil, 55-21-25415711, srsantos@alternex.com.br and Neia Schor, PhD, Departamento Materno Infantil, Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 715, Sao Paulo, 01246904, Brazil.
Objective. Although considered unwanted and an important Public Health issue, motherhood in early adolescency is still little studied. Most investigations are based on the biomedical paradigm and few take into consideration the adolescent point-of-view. This study aimed to explore different patterns of experiencing motherhood from the adolescent´s own perspective. Methods. William Stephenson’s Q Methodology was used. Identified at two public mother and child health units in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, twenty adolescents who became pregnant at the age of 10 to 14 years were studied in a period of time from six to 24 months after the child’s birth. Q-sorts were factor analyzed and factors interpreted. Results. Four qualitatively and statistically (P<0,01) different patterns of perceptions were revealed. Two factors were well defined: Factor I – Satisfied with motherhood / Dependent on the child’s affection: motherhood is a positive and rich experience and Factor II – Depressed / Stressed: motherhood is a negative and stressful experience. Other two possible factors need confirmation in further studies with expanded samples. Conclusions. From the adolescents’ own points-of-view, it was possible to observe that the experience of motherhood is diverse and heterogeneous. For some adolescents, motherhood can be a positive experience.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy, Latin American
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.