Teen Sexual Behaviors and Pregnancies
Sexually active youth in Sandusky County engage in multiple risk
factors.
• 22% do not use a reliable method of birth control
• 19% have multiple sexual partners
• 17% of teen births are to mothers who have one or more other children.
• 33% of teen mothers did not receive first trimester prenatal care.
• Nationally, 80% of the children of teen mothers are on welfare.
The Sandusky County teen pregnancy rate started a decline in 1997 with a
beginning rate of 31 births per 1,000 females 10-19 years to the 1999 a
rate of 23. The 2000 rate is 26 births per 1,000 females 10-19 years.
Teen pregnancy isn’t the only issue involving early sexual activity.
Nationally, 25% of sexually active youth acquire a sexually transmitted
infection. With one act of unprotected sex with an infected partner, a
teen female increases her risk of acquiring HIV by 1%, genital herpes by
30%, and gonorrhea by 50%. Statistics show that 19% of all sexually
active teen women will become pregnant and 25% of new teenage mothers
will have a second child within two years.
According to the Sandusky County Health Assessment, sexually active
youth are also more likely to be current tobacco smokers, drinkers, and
Hispanic.
Depression and Suicide
In the past year 16% of Sandusky County adults (7,160) and 16% of youth
(1,070) have reported being prohibited from usual activities for two
weeks or more by feelings of sadness or depression.
Suicide is the eighth leading cause of overall deaths in Sandusky
County. It’s the fourth leading cause for Sandusky County residents ages
25-44 and second leading cause for those aged 15-24. Within the past
year, 1,300 Sandusky County adults and just over 800 youth have
seriously attempted suicide. 450 adults and 335 youth have made an
actual attempt in the last year. Although all adults making a serious
attempt required medical attention, only 67 of the 335 youth required
such treatment. In essence, a silent proportion of Sandusky County youth
are suffering without knowledge of family and friends. With no treatment
options available to a successful suicide, prevention and community
recognition of warning signs are the only options. Trends also show that
an individual who has made an unsuccessful suicide attempt is very
likely to try again. Also, although males are more likely to die from
suicide, females are more likely to attempt suicide.
Youth most likely to have made a suicide attempt include current
smokers, those receiving poor grades, current alcohol drinkers, and
sexually active youth.
Alcohol Consumption & Driving Under the Influence
In 2001, 892 DUIs went through Sandusky County courts. In 2000 there
were 192 alcohol-related automobile crashes, 3 being fatal. Sandusky
County’s alcohol-related accident rate for 2000 was 3.1 per 1,000
population while Ohio’s was 1.8 per 1,000.
20% of Sandusky County adults and 23% of youth have binged in the past
30 days. Youth most likely to have binged are between the ages of 17-18.
Adult bingers tend to be ages 19-29, male, and single parents. In the
past month, 6% of Sandusky County adults have driven after drinking too
much and 26% of youth have rode in a car one or more times with someone
who had been drinking. Youth more likely to consume alcohol are current
smokers, those who have carried a weapon in the past month, sexually
active youth, 17-18 year olds, and those receiving poor grades in
school.
Tobacco Use
Nationally, tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in
the United States accounting for more than 400,000 deaths annually. In
Sandusky County, 36% of adults and 27% of youth are current smokers.
Adults most likely to be smokers are those without health care coverage,
ages 19-29 and have a household income of less than $25,000. Youth most
likely to be current smokers are sexually active, current drinkers,
17-18 years of age, and receive poor grades in school.
Diabetes & Weight Control
11% of Sandusky County adults have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Individuals who have been diagnosed are also more likely to have been
diagnosed with high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels,
are obese, Hispanic, and ages 60 and over. Diabetes is the seventh
leading cause of death for Sandusky County residents. Two thirds of
individuals suffering from diabetes die from cardiovascular disease, the
leading cause of death in Sandusky County. Nationally, the Surgeon
General has declared that diabetes and obesity are epidemics. Obesity is
expected to overcome tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death
in the United States within a few years.
Lack of Health Care Coverage
In the past 12 months, 23% of Sandusky County residents have been
without health care coverage; 12% are currently without coverage. About
half of those who have been without coverage said it was due to a change
in employment (i.e., they or their spouse lost or changed jobs).
Currently in Sandusky County, 16% of adults with children in their homes
and 30% of single parents are uninsured. An estimated 5% of children in
Sandusky County are currently without insurance.
Lack of health care insurance is a major constraint for individuals
trying to obtain medical care. In the state of Ohio, two out of every
three residents without health insurance live at or near poverty. 21% of
Sandusky County adults have been unable to access a doctor in the past
year because of cost. Those unable to access health care due to cost are
also more likely to lack health care coverage and have a household
annual income less than $25,000. Approximately 15% of adults reported
being unable to access care for themselves or their child’s health
needs. The most common obstacles to access are cost, lack of health care
coverage, or inadequate coverage.
In Sandusky County, 9.5% of the total population and 13% of children are
in poverty (1997). Sandusky County is ranked 36th out of the 72 Ohio
counties for highest percentage of children on Welfare (ages 0-17) in
2000. In addition, Sandusky County is considered a HPSA (Health
Professional Shortage Area) for special populations for both Dentists
and Physicians.
