- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
I just ran across an interesting article about the dropping teen birth rate in the United States. The results are encouraging, and the analysis of possible causes is instructive. One thing that surprised me a bit is that Utah has the
fourth-lowestteen birth rate among the Western and Southern States (behind only Minnesota, Washington and Virginia) – and the lowestrate among states that are solidly conservative politically. The Mid-Atlantic states, generally, and Northeast states, almost entirely, are the only areas with lower rates than Utah’s. Overall, Utah is 14th-lowestin the United States – with a rate almost half that of the states with the highest rates. We get a lot of things wrong when it comes to sex in the LDS Church’s current culture, but teen pregnancy, comparatively, is not one of them – especially when abortion rates are factored into the equation, as well, I am sure.
The article can be found at:
http://www.vox.com/2015/12/23/10652258/teen-birth-decline-map Cool — again, my support for the impact of the church program on youth. Although I wonder what they are doing in the mid-Atlantic and NorthEastern states that is so effective? Knowing those areas, solid sex education that includes widespread birth control use and access to abortion would be my guess. It is interesting that Utah’s rate is MUCH closer to those areas than it is to the average in states that would be assumed to be its comparisons. (19.4 / 1000 in Utah; the lowest being about 11 and the highest being about 38, if I remember correctly)
Very hopeful. My surprise is also in the liberal northeast. Working in schools I do see teen pregnancies, but I also recognize it is less than what I used to see. I can’t say that my local school district has a stellar sex education program or that abortion is encouraged (I have known our conservative health teacher for many years) but our district is probably not typical for this part of the country. As a side note, the teen pregnancy statistic counts all pregnancies in all women 19 and under regardless of marital status. I suppose the lowered mission age might affect the Utah statistic. Girls are waiting longer to get married. Higher education is encouraged.
Birth control methods are more effective.
The trifecta!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.