Page 48 - GHES-2-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
The health consequences of child marriage

among rural women: Evidence from Igbo-Eze
North, South-east Nigeria

Okala Agwu Uche and Ijeoma Blessing Uche*

Department of Social Work, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka,
Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

Child marriage has emerged as a significant social issue due to its profound
health consequences, particularly within rural communities. This study aims to
investigate the health consequences associated with child marriage among rural
women. Employing a phenomenological approach, this qualitative study collected
information from women with firsthand experiences in the communities of Etteh
and Enugu Ezike, both situated in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of
Enugu State. Data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted with 20
women selected through purposeful sampling. The sample encompassed married
women aged 18 – 45 years, with a specific focus on those married before the age
of 18. The findings revealed a significant association between child marriage and
adverse physical health outcomes, including heightened rates of maternal mortality,
Academic editor:
Mihajlo Jakovljevic M.D. Ph.D. MAE inadequate prenatal care, and increased vulnerability to infectious diseases. Moreover,
mental health assessments indicated a higher prevalence of anxiety, depression,
*Corresponding author:
Ijeoma Blessing Uche and post-traumatic stress disorder among women who experienced child marriage.
(ijeoma.uche@unn.edu.ng) Reproductive health implications were also observed, with a higher incidence of
obstetric complications and adverse birth outcomes among this cohort. This study
Citation: Uche, O.A. & Uche, I.B.
(2024). The health consequences of sheds light on the intricate web of health consequences associated with child
child marriage among rural women: marriage among women in Nigerian rural communities. The findings underscore the
Evidence from Igbo-Eze North, urgency for social work interventions that address the unique challenges faced by
South-east Nigeria. Global Health
Econ Sustain, 2(3):2840. young girls in rural communities. Recognizing the long-term repercussions of child
https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2840 marriage is essential for informing evidence-based strategies aimed at improving the
Received: January 29, 2024 health and well-being of affected women and promoting sustainable development
in the region.
Accepted: March 13, 2024
Published Online: May 23, 2024
Keywords: Child; Child marriage; Health consequences; Rural women; Social work
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution, 1. Introduction
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is Child marriage persists as a deeply rooted social concern, casting a shadow over the
properly cited. health and well-being of countless women globally. Despite concerted international
Publisher’s Note: AccScience efforts to combat this pervasive issue, the practice continues to endure, particularly in
Publishing remains neutral with developing regions where cultural norms, economic hardships, and societal structures
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional perpetuate early unions (UNICEF, 2021). The United Nations’ Sustainable Development
affiliations. Goal 5, outlined in 2015, incorporates the objective of abolishing detrimental practices,

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 1 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2840