Situation and Factors Related to Receiving of Social Welfare Services among Teenage Mothers: A Case Study of Nakhon Nayok Province

Abstract

A cross-sectional survey aimed at exploring the situation and factors related to receiving of social welfare services among teenage mothers in Nakhon Nayok Province using a self-administered questionnaire to collect data. The respondents were 240 teenage mothers aged between 15 and 19-year olds at delivery and having below 3-year-old children. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Findings from the quantitative study revealed 81.3% of the respondents received a birth control service after delivery, 79.6% received postnatal and newborn care, 79.6% received government support for child allowance, and 34.6% returned to school after delivery. Factors related to the receiving of social welfare services comprised age of the teenage mothers, marital status, sufficiency of household income, number of living children, perceived benefits of social welfare services, and received social support from the family. Public health Organizations should provide a birth control service promptly after delivery to each of the teenage mother who is currently residing with her husband and having below one-year-old child. The results from a semi-structure interview revealed that the Educational Institutions should enable the respondents to drop from school and retain their educational status and opportunity for further education. Also, the Social welfare Organizations should promote a child allowance policy to increase the allowance to 1,000 baht per month to every newborn. Moreover, accessibility to the vocational training and income generating during pregnancy and after delivery among the teenage mothers should be promoted. Also, information on the services to support those who were not be able to take care their child and the provision of suitable shelter should be disseminated