Determinants of child marriage among rural women in the West Guji Zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2024: a community-based cross-sectional study

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from April 1 to May 5, 2024, in the West Guji zone of southern Oromia.The Bule Hora University Ethical Review Committee granted ethical approval before the start of the study (Ref.no.BHU-IOH 02-012). Before signing the written informed consent form, all research participants were well-informed about the study's goals, advantages, and significance. A permission letter was provided to the West Guji Zone administration office, selected districts, and Kebeles. The participants were informed of their freedom to withdraw from the study at any time, and their anonymity was protected by providing pseudonyms. The collected data were stored in electronic files with a code and password to ensure confidentiality. The minimum age of the participants in the current study was 18, and no women under the age of 18 took part in the research.