 |
 |
|
|
|
May Is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month Public Education Campaign Launches in California Urging Adults to “Get Real”” About Teen Pregnancy LOS ANGELES, April 27, 1999 — A new statewide public education campaign, “Get Real About Teen Pregnancy,” kicked off Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month today by calling on the state's elected leaders and communities to take a realistic approach to one of the state’s most compelling social issues: teenage pregnancy. While teen birthrates are decreasing, California has the highest teen pregnancy rates in the nation. The projected rise in the sheer numbers of teens in California over the next few years brings new risks of increases in teen pregnancy and a renewed urgency for support of teen pregnancy prevention. “Ideally children should grow up in an environment where they can develop healthy adolescent sexuality,” said Gary L. Yates, President and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation. “This means they will have the information, self-esteem, role modeling and family support they need to delay becoming sexually active; as well as to avoid pregnancy if they do become sexually active. And all teens, especially those living in poverty, need clear options to early parenting.” Research demonstrates that this attitude towards promoting healthy adolescent sexuality comes not a moment too soon. “It’s time to acknowledge that teens are sexual beings,” said Claire Brindis, Ph.D.; of the University of California at San Francisco, and a nationally recognized expert on adolescent sexuality. “While sexual abstinence is a wise and healthy choice for teenagers, the fact of the matter is that over half of California teens will have intercourse before they graduate from high school. It’s simply time to Get Real about teen pregnancy.” Dr. Brindis urges parents to take a moment this month to continue communicating around this issue. She recommends that parents make sure their children understand the basics of reproductive health, but said it doesn’t stop there. “Parents need to share with their children their own values and attitudes about healthy sexuality, as that has a tremendous impact on how their children will behave.” Further, she says that adolescents need to understand normal sexual development, and how to get more information or access to family planning services if they need it. “It may seem like they’re not listening, but research shows that teenagers are more influenced by the values and attitudes of their parents than anyone else,” Dr. Brindis said. California has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. This results in serious consequences for communities as well as for the teen parents and their children. Pregnancy and parenting is cited as a major reason by teen females for dropping out of school, with 80 percent of females who become mothers before the age of 18 not finishing high school. Teen parents who drop out of school are at an increased risk of entering a cycle of welfare dependency. In fact, approximately six billion dollars in state and federal money is spent each year on public assistance programs for California families started by teens. Finally, when compared to all pregnant women, pregnant teenagers are twice as likely to receive inadequate prenatal care leading to increased health complications such as low birth-weight and premature births. The “Get Real About Teen Pregnancy” public education campaign is part of a $60-million, 10-year Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative funded by The California Wellness Foundation, designed to address teen pregnancy from a fresh perspective in order to help decrease teen pregnancy rates in California. As part of the grant-making program, more than $6 million has been awarded to seven community-based organizations in California including Los Angeles, Oceanside, Modesto, Indio, Madera, Hollywood and Richmond. Additional information is available at www.letsgetreal.org. Created in 1992 as an independent, private foundation, The California Wellness Foundation's mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention. ### |
|
|
|
|
|
|