Employment Status Among Parenting Teenage Mothers Enrolled in High School. (September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Matthew Lee; Wilson, Kelly L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of school health. Volume 84:Number 9(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: 605
• Page End: 608
• Publication Date: 2014-09
• Subjects: School health services -- Periodicals; School children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; 371.71
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4391

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="josh12187-abs-0001"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <sec id="josh12187-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p>Many programs emphasize subsequent pregnancy prevention and high school graduation among teenage mothers; however, less is known about their ability to increase financial earnings from employment opportunities while concurrently enrolled in school. This study evaluates factors influencing employment status among teenage mothers after enrolling in a community‐based randomized intervention.</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12187-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>METHODS</title> <p>Project Mothers and Schools (PMAS) initiative participants were surveyed at baseline and 12 months after enrollment. The 56 control group participants received homebound education and family case management, whereas the 59 intervention group participants received these basic‐level services as well as group parenting time, life skills, and leadership training. A generalized estimating equation was used to identify statistically significant changes associated with the intervention.</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12187-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>RESULTS</title> <p>Participants were significantly more likely to receive money from their jobs at postintervention relative to baseline (OR = 4.75, p = .023); however, this change was not statistically significant when comparing the control group to the intervention group. At postintervention, those who received money from parents were significantly less likely to receive money from their job (OR = 0.12, p = .002).</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12187-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> <p>While PMAS benefited participants in terms of employment, the role of parental support requires additional investigation to determine its influence on teenage mothers' ability to achieve financial independence.</p> </sec> </abstract>