Identifying Future Trends of Adolescent Fertility for Barbados Using the Artificial Neural Network Technique
Abstract
This research article employs annual time series
data on adolescent fertility rate for Barbados from 1960 to 2020 to predict
future trends of adolescent fertility rate over the period 2021 to 2030. The
forecast evaluation criteria of the applied model indicate that the ANN (12,
12, 1) model is stable. The neural network model projections revealed that
adolescent fertility will decline throughout the out of sample period.
Therefore, the government of Barbados should continue supporting sexual and
reproductive health programs with priority being given to strategies to prevent
teenage pregnancy in order to avert adverse maternal and neonatal health
outcomes.
Country : Zimbabwe
1 Smartson. P. NYONI2 Thabani NYONI
ZICHIRe Project, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
Independent Researcher & Health Economist, Harare, Zimbabwe
IRJIET, Volume 6, Issue 12, December 2022 pp. 119-122
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