http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif CDC Releases New Data on Teen Sexual Behavior The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released findings from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Study (YRBS), a nationwide survey that measures health risk behaviors among high school students. Major findings included: • Almost half (48%) of high school students reported having had sexual intercourse at least once. • Over 7% of students reported they had sexual intercourse before the age of 13. • Less than two-thirds (62%) of sexually-active students reported using a condom the last time they had sex. • Nearly 15% of students reported having had more than four sexual partners. Overall there was little change in teen sexual behavior from the last survey conducted in 2005, although the proportion of students who reported having sex increased slightly while the proportion of sexually-active students who reported using a condom decreased slightly. This demonstrates that the consistent progress in teen sexual activity measures that occurred in the 1990s is slowing. http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif DeKalb County Data The CDC also funds over 20 large urban school districts across the nation to conduct the YRBS, including DeKalb County in Georgia. Compared to the national average, the 2007 survey found that DeKalb had a higher percentage of students who had ever had sexual intercourse (57%), nearly double the percentage of students who had first sex before the age of 13 (14%), and a higher percentage of students who had more than four sexual partners in their lifetime (22%). The DeKalb County data is the only data available for Georgia since the state removed the sexual behavior questions from Georgia's YRBS in 2001. http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif Georgia's 2008 Kids Count Ranking Released Georgia ranks 40th in the nation in overall child wellbeing according to the recently-released 2008 KIDS COUNT report. The ranking is based on 10 indicators that can be compared across states, many of which are highly related to teen pregnancy. Georgia Ranks: • 43rd, or 8th highest, in the nation in the rate of births to teens ages 15 to 19. • 43rd in the nation in low birth weight babies. Children of teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely and at low birth weight. • 42nd in the nation in the infant mortality rate. Children of teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely, raising the probability of infant mortality. • 45th in the nation in the percentage of children in single-parent families. Evidence demonstrates that unmarried teen mothers are at greater risk for long term single motherhood and poverty for themselves and their children. • 41st in the nation in the percentage of teens who are high school drop outs. Teen mothers are less likely to complete high school. Also, in Georgia over one-fourth of teen pregnancies are repeat pregnancies. Having multiple children compounds the challenges a teen mother faces to finish school or keep a job. By preventing teen pregnancy, we can improve child well-being in our state. For more information, see the Georgia Family Connection Partnership’s web site. http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif http://app.topica.com/images/pixel.gif G-CAPP Fast Fact Nationally, the percentage of students who were taught in school about HIV/AIDS decreased from 1997 to 2007. Source: 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Study (YRBS).