Latino Summit to engage families in teen pregnancy prevention
From the Health Dept.:
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, April 6
6:30 pm– 8:30 pm
Grace Community Church
800 SE Hogan Ave
Gresham, Oregon 97080
For more information, call 503-927-5035
Speakers will include Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler, Héctor Sánchez-Flores, 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 March 30, 2009
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