In 1991, 62 out of every 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 gave birth, according to federal data. By 2014, it had dropped to 24. Health officials say the primary reason for the decline is more access to birth control because sexual activity has remained constant over the years.
Rohrbach and other grantees said they have evidence that certain programs are successful in reaching teens to prevent pregnancies.
Teen parents tend to have less education and are more likely to live in poverty and have chronic medical conditions. Thirty percent of teen girls who have dropped out of high school cite pregnancy or parenthood as a reason, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The unfunded programs are designed to focus on the highest-risk communities in the country.
“Yes, the teen pregnancy rate has gone down,” Rohrbach said. But “if you look at the kids that live in disadvantaged neighborhoods, you see that the decline in teen pregnancies is not as steep as it is nationwide. The rates of teen pregnancies are still relatively high.”
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | |
---|---|
Baltimore | |
Annual funding: | $880,072 |
Website | http://caih.jhu.edu |
Program summary | |
Project overview: | Johns Hopkins University will scientifically evaluate the effectiveness of a program designed to reduce sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy among American Indian teens. The program includes education related to condom use and negotiation skills related to sex and substance use. Read the evaluation abstract here. |
Target population: | American Indians ages 13 to 19 living on a tribal reservation |
Geographic area served: | Apache reservation, Arizona |
Target number of youth served (per year): | 189 |
UC SAN FRANCISCO | |
San Francisco | |
Annual funding: | $995,321 |
Website | http://www.ucsf.edu |
Program summary | |
Project overview: | The University of California Board of Regents intend to increase use of long-acting, reversible contraceptives across California’s Central Valley, Bay AreaandLosAngeles regions. The regents implement a program called SpeakOut through UC San Francisco that encourages teenage girls to share their contraceptive experiences with their peers. Read the evaluation abstract here. |
Target population: | Females ages 15 to 19 |
Geographic area served: | Alameda, Monterey, Orange, San Joaquin, Solano and Stanislaus counties |
Teen birth rate in area served (per 1,000): | 19.4; 44.6; 20.5; 33.7; 24.2; 35.8 (respectively) |
Target number of youth served (per year): | 500 |
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST AND THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS | |
Seattle | |
Annual funding: | $1,000,000 |
Website | http://www.plannedparenthood.org |
Program summary | |
Projectoverview: | This grantee intends to reduce teen pregnancy rates, increase use of contraceptives and delay initiation of sexual activity among ninth- to 12th-grade youth in rural Washington, Idaho, Oregon, UtahandHawaii. It would implement LiFT, which brings rural youths and parents together to share family values, strengthen family bonds, and talk about healthy relationships and sexual health. Read the evaluation abstract here. |
Target population: | Rural youth and their parents |
Geographic area served: | Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii |
Target number of youth served (per year): | 500 |
Reveal reporter Trey Bundy contributed to this story. It was edited by Marla Cone and Andrew Donohue and copy edited by Nikki Frick.
Jane Kay can be reached at JaneKayEnvironment@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JaneKayNature.
*The mission of The Center for Investigative Reporting is to engage and empower the public through investigative journalism and groundbreaking storytelling in order to spark action, improve lives and protect our democracy. Founded in 1977 as the nation’s first nonprofit investigative journalism organization, we are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year. Over those four decades, we have developed a reputation for being among the most innovative, credible and relevant media organizations in the country.
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