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Goal: Affinity is
seeking projects that aim to decrease teenage pregnancy
rates with a focus on culturally relevant approaches.
Overview: Across the United States, more than one
in three girls will become pregnant before their 20th
birthday, the highest rate in the industrialized world.
In New York City, rates for teenage pregnancy and births
far exceed statewide and national averages, particularly
among African-Americans and Hispanics. For both mothers
and children, teenage pregnancy poses multiple risks,
with teenage mothers more apt to bear low birth-weight
babies, increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes
including death and poorer health throughout childhood.
Many health-related agencies and organizations are
targeting the issue including Take Care New York, a
current program from the New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene, which promotes pregnancy
planning and sound decision-making. The World Health
Organization, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force,
Healthy People 2010, and the New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene all recognize the need to
prevent unintended pregnancies.
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Although rates of teenage pregnancy are trending down,
it endures as a problem: the teenage pregnancy rate
within New York State ranks 14th nationwide. Among
females aged 15 to 19, the pregnancy rate per 1,000 was
91 (84 nationally) in 2000, the most recent year for
which these figures are available. In New York City,
rates among all age breakdowns in 2002 were much higher
than statewide. The Bronx has the highest rates for all
age breakdowns, followed by Brooklyn.
Large disparities also exist between racial/ethnic
groups. Statewide variations resemble national data,
with pregnancy rates per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 at
52 among non-Hispanic whites, 130 among Hispanics and
167 among African-Americans. Comparable variations occur
in New York City, where African-Americans and Hispanics
account for much higher percentages of teen pregnancies
(44.7% and 33.0% respectively) than white non-Hispanics
or Asian/Pacific Islander teenagers (7.1% and 3.1%
respectively). Local teen pregnancy outcomes also vary
by race/ethnicity: African-American teens are more
likely to have an induced abortion, but Hispanic teens
are more likely to have a live birth. Recurrent
pregnancies are also much higher within New York City,
where 40% of all pregnant teens had been pregnant at
least once before, and 20.8% had had at least one live
birth.
Trends suggest opportunities exist to further reduce the
extent and impact of teen pregnancy. There is not a
consensus about what works best, but various groups
advocate multiple, diverse approaches including:
promoting abstinence and use of contraceptives;
sexuality education; media campaigns; increasing funding
for and access to confidential family-planning services;
higher insurance coverage for contraception; devising
school-completion strategies; and implementing job
training and other youth development programs. Solutions
in New York State and City must recognize disparities,
diverse populations and social and health issues
affecting communities and directly or indirectly related
to teenage pregnancy.
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for sources used in this description.
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