Floyd teen pregnancy rate drops 44 from 1994 to 2010

 

Media release: The statistics are similar: Nationally, statewide and in Floyd County, the rate of teen pregnancy for 15-to-19 year olds is at an all time low despite the misperception by many that just the opposite is true. Fifty perc

ent of respondents to a recent survey by The National Campaign by Social Science Research Solutions incorrectly believe the nation's teen pregnancy rate has increased.

In fact, according to data from national and state public health officials, national and Georgia teen pregnancy rates have plummeted over the past two decades, a positive trend reflected in Floyd County. From 1994 to 2010, the teen pregnancy rate in Floyd has decreased by 44 percent, according to information from the Georgia Department of Public Health. 

 

This trend raises two important questions: Why have the rates gone down and how can these trends be sustained? To help get answers, local public health officials are conducting surveys through May, which is Teen

Pregnancy Prevention Month. 

 

"We're surveying the Floyd County community, particularly teens and their parents, to identify and better understand the contributing factors to the decrease in our teen pregnancy rate so we, as a community, can work to sustain those that are most effective," said Northwest Georgia Public Health Youth Development Coordinator Angie Robinson. 

·        If you are the parent of a Floyd County teenager, you can weigh in now at:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Floydparentsurvey

 

·        If you are a Floyd County teenager, you can participate in the survey at:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Floydyouthsurvey

"The steady decline in teen pregnancy rates represents one of the nation's great public health success stories," said Robinson, and "locally suggests community-wide efforts in Floyd County may be making a difference.  It's not any one specific program, but the combination of many programs, services and initiatives designed in one way or another to prevent teen pregnancy." 

According to Robinson, these include those that provide access to youth-friendly family-planning services, teach evidence-based sexual health curricula, reach diverse and priority populations, inform stakeholders about the issues surrounding teen pregnancy and mobilize the community to work to insure teen-pregnancy prevention initiatives are sustained. 

"The significant drop in teen pregnancy in our community is great news, and we need to continue and build on the efforts that have helped us see such a significant positive change,' said Executive Director of the Rome-Floyd County Commission on Children & Youth, Carol Willis.  "We urge everyone to find ways in their homes, at their church or at work to talk to youth about the benefits of postponing pregnancy," Willis said.  "People can also help by participating in the surveys."

One key contributor to the local effort to reduce teen pregnancy, the Floyd County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, promotes prevention messages to both parents and teens and provides direction for the Teen Resource Center and other community organizations serving young people.  "The Floyd County community has come together in this coalition to share concerns and ideas and assess and present solutions to teen pregnancy," said Catherine Fricks with Floyd County Juvenile Court.

The Teen Resource Center reached over 6,500 young people between 2007 and 2010 through various programs and activities, including family planning services, the Karate Outreach Program, the Teen Talk Group, Healthy Decision Making presentations, peer education training, the Teen Expo health fair, the Table Talk Teen Forum, the Teen Maze and numerous parent-education programs on how to talk to youth about sexual health.

 Other community programs trying to address the teen pregnancy issue include First Steps, Healthy Families and the MELD education program for young fathers, the Boys & Girls Clubs' Smart Moves Program, various mentoring programs through Communities in Schools and the 100 Black Men, graduation coaches and the Sexual Assault Center prevention programs. 

According to Robinson, "we've been partnering with the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential (formerly for Pregnancy Prevention) to provide technical assistance and materials to our local schools that want to incorporate evidence-based sexual health curriculums.  Rome City Schools was the first to come on board in 2010.  This past year, the Floyd Education Center piloted one of the sexual health curriculums with very positive results."