Latino Summit to engage families in teen pregnancy prevention
Local public health officials are concerned and taking action to address a significant disparity in Latino teen birth rates. While both white non-Hispanics and Hispanic teen birth rates have declined in Multnomah County between 1991 and 2005, the rate of decline is greater for white non-Hispanic teens (down 66%) compared to Hispanic teens (down 29%). This disparity in declining Hispanic teen birth rates reflects national trends.
In spite of declines in the teen birth rate, the most recent statistics reveal a greater disparity between Hispanic and white non-Hispanic teens in Multnomah County. The Hispanic teen birth rate for 15 to 17 year olds was six times greater than the birth rate for white non-Hispanic teens, while nationally the Hispanic rate was four times greater in 2001-05.
“We know how early pregnancy limits the future of young women,” said Lillian Shirley, Multnomah County Health Department director. “We also know the strength of Latino families can be an enormous protective factor for youth against negative life outcomes.”
The Latino Summit, hosted by Multnomah County Health Department’s Latino Teen Pregnancy Disparity Project, is aimed at engaging parents and families to help Latino youth succeed and build a better future. The event will highlight the importance of families in shaping teen’s goals, values and behaviors.
The Latino Summit is open to the public:
Monday, December 15, 2008
6:30 pm– 8:30 pm
Lifegate Baptist Church
208 SE 148th Ave.
Gresham, Oregon 97030
For more information, call 503-927-5035
Speakers will include Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler, Hector Flores-Sanchez, Senior Research Associate for the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health and the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
Event sponsors are Center for Health Training, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, Oregon Commission on Children and Families, Portland Impact, and Multnomah County Health Department.
Posted on December 9, 2008
follow Jeff on Twitter
Comments
(Note: Comments are the views of their authors, and no one else.)
Posted by: Know More - December 10, 2008 04:00 PM
While 19 percent of white girls will become pregnant during their teen years, 53 percent of Latina and 51 percent of African-American girls will do so.
Studies also show that there is a link between relationship or dating abuse and teen pregnancy -- the old stereotypes that unplanned pregnancy is the result of promiscuity or a failure to use birth control pale in comparison to real statistics.
For example, girls who are victims of violence from dating partners are four to six times more likely than non-abused girls to become pregnant.
Learn more, share a story or take action at www.knowmoresaymore.org
Posted by: RhondaCoca - January 18, 2009 12:05 AM
"Studies also show that there is a link between relationship or dating abuse and teen pregnancy -- the old stereotypes that unplanned pregnancy is the result of promiscuity or a failure to use birth control pale in comparison to real statistics."
Thank you for that, I will look into it!
Another is that there are older men in our communties who continue to victimize young girls. This is a major issue. I am black (of Caribbean descent) and my best friend is Puerto Rican. We share an apartment in NYC and we spend all of our free time trying to empower black and latina girls about such issues.