ArticleBMC women's health2025
Age at first marriage and women's psychosocial wellbeing in the Amhara region, Ethiopia.
Article in BMC women's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Child Brides in Africa: A Narrative Review on Effects, Gaps, and Interventions.Public health challenges · 2026Review
- Contraceptive use to delay first birth and its associated factors among married young women in rural parts of central Oromia, Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study.Women's health (London, England)Article
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Abstract
backgroundEarly marriage is a public health problem with damaging ramifications for all affected, especially young women's well-being. It affects millions globally-with the majority living in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The Amhara region of Ethiopia remains one of the hotspots of child marriage.
methodsThis study employed a cross-sectional study design and used a mixed-method approach to collect data on age at first marriage, community values on marriage, and women's social capital and self-esteem. It drew on social capital and self-esteem theorists to construct a survey questionnaire, focus group discussion, and interview guides. It employed descriptive and inferential statistics and thematic analyses to explore empirical data.
resultsThis study found no and weak statistically significant differences in global estimates of women's social capital and self-esteem due to their age at first marriage, respectively. However, women married ≥ 25 years measured better on social capital and self-esteem indicators, especially compared to those married between 15-17 years. Qualitative findings provided insights into potential confounding factors and grounded explanations of survey findings vis-à-vis existing literature on the psychosocial effects of early marriage on women.
conclusionGlobal estimates of women's psychosocial well-being were not significantly associated with age at first marriage. FGDs and interviews indicated that the Amhara value and treat marriage primarily as a means for intergenerational continuity and family alliances. Marrying a woman early is desirable, ensures longer reproductive years, protects the purity of the paternal line, and grants girl-children improved social status and desirability. The authors recommend researchers design standard self-assessment survey tools, considering cultural and systemic contexts in collectivistic communities.
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