| Introduction | The Research |
Introduction
In order to Action a Sustainable Future, one must focus on both the natural environment and the social environment. Because social environmental issues are so pressing in our own community, the 1999 North American Delegation has chosen teen issues, The Myth and Reality of the Teenage Population, as our theme. Teen pregnancy, teen drug use and dysfunctional families are the three main issues we have focused on. Decisions made along these lines on a local scale; such as in the home or at school, eventually have an impact in larger communities, our city, state, region, country and world.
Our delegation has chosen six rights and six responsibilities to address these issues:
As a conclusion to our research, the North American Delegation has submitted and approved the following rights and responsibilities of all citizens:
We, the North American Delegation, do hereby put forth these Rights & Responsibilities as compiled September 17, 1999.
Background Information
In the United States, there are about one million teenagers that become pregnant each year. This is the highest teen pregnancy rate among developed countries in the world.
Furthermore, 95% of those pregnancies are unintended and almost one third end in abortions.
Another way to view this startling fact is:
(see: http://www.cfoc.org/clock.html)
Birth rates among teenagers vary substantially from state to state, and some states have rates almost three times higher than those in the lowest states. The state of Oregon is ranked 19th in the nation in terms of teenage pregnancies. The state with the highest number of teen pregnancies is Mississippi, with 58 pregnancies per 1,000 unmarried teenage girls ages 15-17. (To see the break down of US teenage pregnancy rates according to state see: http://www.cfoc.org/statsregional.html)
Causes
Effects
Economic - The public costs from teenage childbearing totaled $120 billion from 1985-1990; $48 billion could have been saved if each birth had been postponed until the mother was at least 20 years old.
Risks to the Mother
Teenage girls who are pregnant or are already young mothers are also at a higher risk of other factors:
Risks to the Infant
Teen girls are at an increased risk to have babies who are:
Solutions
As with other health matters, schools can play a significant role in the prevention of pregnancy through education. Whether or not to teach about pregnancy prevention is something that is determined by each school district. The United States government promotes the teaching of abstinence in schools. The teaching of contraception is accepted in some school districts but not in others.
Many school districts have teen parent programs and teen pregnancy programs in which education about prenatal care is provided. In health classes, students are given opportunities to learn about the consequences of teenage pregnancy and why choosing to practice abstinence is a responsible choice during the teen years.
Currently, there are 13 community partnerships in place in 11 states that are implementing comprehensive, integrated youth programs to prevent initial and repeat teen pregnancies and related problems. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/tpartner.htm
| Myth: "It doesn't affect me." | Fact: "Each adolescent mother in this country costs U.S. taxpayers an average of $2,831 per year ($7 billion annually).
-- Kids Having Kids |
| Myth: "My kids are too old." | Fact: About 2/3 of teen mothers were impregnated by a man over 20 years old.
-- Linn County Commission on Children & Families |
| Myth: "Rates & trends for teenage childbearing are similar in the U.S. to other comparable westernized democracies." |
Fact:The U.S. has a rate more than twice as high as that in any other industrialized nation.
--National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy |
| Myth:"My kids are too young." | Fact:When young people see themselves as capable and important individuals, they are less likely to become involved in "risky" behaviors such as unprotected sex.
-- Getting Yourself Together |
| Myth:"Teens who become pregnant want to have babies." | Fact:Among all pregnancies to teens aged 19 & younger, only 14% end in intended births.
--Campaign for Our Children |
Pregnant teenagers have experienced a higher than average incidence of sexual assault.
--Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Inc.
1/5 of unintended pregnancies occur the 1st month after beginning sexual activity.
--Facts of Life, Oregon Health Division
83% of teens who give birth are low-income or poor.
--Sex, Teens, & Oregon's Plan
Teens most often seek birth control 6 months to 1 year after beginning sexual activity.
-- Oregon Health Division
Background Information
The dysfunctional family is a family in which the needs for intimacy, and/or where the philosophical, psychological, creative and physical needs are not met. Children and adults in these families learn to delay gratification and struggle to solve problems successfully.
The term dysfunctional families is used today to refer to all families in which there is a lack of intimacy and an inability to problem-solve effectively. Alcoholism, drug use and their related problems contribute to the dysfunction of a family. Other conditions also contribute, such as families in which one or both of the parents are emotionally unavailable for the children or certain character disorders exist. Families in which there is emotional, verbal, physical and/or sexual abuse also are considered dysfunctional.
Conceptions members of a dysfunctional families have include:
To compare, a healthy family will exhibit the following traits:
The bottom line between a healthy family and a dysfunctional family is how that family responds to stress in everyday life as well as crisis situations.
Causes
Most family dysfunction is caused by stress. Examples of such stresses are:
Effects
Many of the stresses that cause dysfunction within families will influence and increase additional stresses. Such stresses include:<
Background Information
Alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use among public school students continues to be a major concern in Oregon as it is across the nation. ATOD use not only affects students' scholastic performance but is often related to their willingness to stay in school. Substance abuse at an early age sets a pattern that can follow an individual throughout his or her life.
The following statistics are from a 1998 survey on Oregon Public School drug use.
Other statistics:
Signs and Symptoms of Drug Use
Physical Signs:
Behavioral Signs:
Prevention Services and Solutions