Births among Hispanic and black teens have dropped by almost half since 2006, according to a new analysis published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This mirrors a substantial national decline: births to all American teenagers have dropped more than 40 percent within the past decade. Despite this progress, key challenges persist for many communities, according to the report.
While dramatic declines among Hispanic and black teens (51 percent and 44 percent, respectively) have helped reduce gaps, birth rates remain twice as high for black and Hispanic teens nationally, compared to white teens. Published April 28 in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the new analysis highlights key community- and state-level patterns:
- In some states, birth rates among Hispanic and black teens were more than three times as high as those of whites.
- Higher unemployment and lower income and education are more common in communities with the highest teen birth rates, regardless of race.
- In some states with low overall birth rates, pockets of high birth rates exist in some counties.
- Counties with higher teen birth rates were clustered in southern and southwestern states.
“The United States has made remarkable progress in reducing both teen pregnancy and racial and ethnic differences, but the reality is, too many American teens are still having babies,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “By better understanding the many factors that contribute to teen pregnancy we can better design, implement, evaluate, and improve prevention interventions and further reduce disparities.”
The new report is an analysis of national- and state-level data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) to examine trends in births to American teens ages 15 to 19 years between 2006 and 2014. County-level NVSS data for 2013 and 2014 also offer a point-in-time picture of local birth rates. To better understand the relationship between key social and economic factors and teen birth rates, researchers examined data from the American Community Survey between 2010 and 2014.
Researchers highlight the importance of teen pregnancy prevention interventions that address socioeconomic conditions, like unemployment and lower education levels, for reducing disparities in teen birth rates. State and community leaders can use local data to better understand teen pregnancy in their communities and to direct programs and resources to areas with the greatest need.
