Latina teens have highest pregnancy rates

Latina teens have the highest pregnancy rates in the U.S.
THE LATINO JOURNAL E-NEWS

A survey by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), found that Latinas have the highest rate of teen pregnancy and births among all racial/ethnic groups. The National Campaign estimates that fully 53% of Latinas in the U.S. become pregnant as teens.

Other findings from the survey include:

* 49 percent of Latino teens say parents most influence their decisions about sex compared to, for example, 14 percent who cited friends, 6 percent other family members, 3 percent religious leaders, 2 percent teachers, and 2 percent the media;
* Although three-quarters of Latino teens say their parents have talked to them about sex and relationships, only half (49 percent) say their parents have talked to them about contraception;
* 74 percent of Latino teens believe that parents send one message about sex to their sons and a different message altogether to their daughters;
* Latino teens in this survey report that the most common reason why teens do not use contraception is because they are afraid their parents might find out;
* 72 percent of sexually experienced teens say they wish they had waited longer;
* 34 percent of Latino teens believe that being a teen parent would prevent them from reaching their goals; 47 percent say being a teen parent would simply delay them from reaching their goals;
* 76 percent of Latino teens say it is important for a couple to be married before starting a family or having a child.

"While Latino teen pregnancy has gained national attention in recent years, little work has been done to understand subgroup differences and similarities within the Latino community," says Ruthie Flores, Senior Manager, of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy's Latino Initiative. "We hope this survey shines much-needed light on the beliefs and attitudes of Latino teens and parents and helps inform teen pregnancy prevention efforts and messages nationwide."

"Scant attention has been paid to what motivates the behavior of Latino teens with regard to relationships," said Maria Rosa, DrPH, Ph.D., National Council of La Raza, Vice President, Institute for Hispanic Health. "The poll's findings are a catalyst for an important and much needed conversation about how to reverse the rising rates of teen pregnancy in the Latino community."

Findings from the survey were released at a Latino Leaders Network Issue Hour on teen pregnancy in the Latino community that took place on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, May 19, 2009.

The survey examines the beliefs and attitudes within the Latino community about teen pregnancy and related issues. International Communications Research (ICR) conducted the survey in July and August of 2008, by telephone, of 759 Latino teens and 915 Latino adults with children in the household under age 18.

For more information about The National Campaign, the National Council of La Raza, and the Latino Leaders Network, please visit the following websites: TheNationalCampaign.org, NCLR.org, and LatinoLeadersNetwork.org.