Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Why Girls Get Married Early in Sarawak, Malaysia - An Exploratory Q ualitative Study  
 
Version: 0 Date: 29 Apr 2019  
 
Reviewer: Nan Zhou  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Thank you for the opportunity to review the manuscript titled Why Girls Get Married Early in 
East Malaysia? - An Exploratory Qualitative Study (BMWH -D-19-00170). This study conducted 
semistructured interviews with twenty -two women who were married below 18 years old in 
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia and examined the factors relating to child marriage in East 
Malaysia. This study has its strengt h in representing the initial efforts in examining the 
contributing factors to child marriage. However, there are some concerns that limit the 
possibility of the publication in the BMC Women's Health.  
 
First of all, although few studies have examined the p otential factors in relation to the occurrence 
of child marriage, extant evidence including political and psychological factors related to child 
marriage should be presented in the introduction. In its current form, the readers have no idea 
about theoretic al and empirical backgrounds of the factors for child marriage. Moreover, it limits 
the value in connecting the findings with the current literature towards a more nuanced 
understanding of the contributing factors to child marriage.  
 
Second, the explanatio n of the coding process is quite limited and far from enough to let the 
readers understand what specific strategies the authors used to derive the themes. Also, other 
evidence may be needed to verify the themes and the frequency of each themes mentioned by  the 
interviewees should be displayed so that the results could be more rich.  
 
Third, the discussion also was limited by the focus on the themes identified. There seems to be a 
lack of theoretical perspective that guides the organization of the factors for  child marriage. 
Future directions and implications for practice should also be elaborated more.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify  which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1.  Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the 
publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2.  Do you hold any stocks or shares  in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or 
lose financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the 
future?  
 
3.  Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content 
of the manuscript?  
 
4.  Have you recei ved reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization 
that holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5.  Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6.  Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, m y named report 
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