“Teens in New York City have the right to sexual health services without getting permission from parents, girlfriends/boyfriends or anyone else.”
“In Costa Rica a law was passed to guarantee comprehensive reproductive health services to adolescents.”
“In Ghana a creation of a “broad health policy” will address guidelines for public health agencies to address reproductive health needs for adolescents.”
“In France emergency contraception pills are being distributed by school nurses.”President Obama’s 2010 budget proposal to congress promises to address the need for adolescent reproductive health care.http://www.guttmacher.org/ - 23k - Cached
These are a few of the rights or advances necessary in developing the need to reduce and/or maintain teen pregnancy birth and abortion rates world-wide.
During our class discussion one of the things mentioned was, “How do we divide the world?” Religion, economic development, political government and culture are the many rhyme (sense) and/or reasons for the complexity of addressing this critical public health issue.
The government of the UK, US and the Netherlands agree that poverty is associated with the increase rates of teen pregnancy. In the UK the largest spending programs are on social security, health, the environment, education, transport, and defense. Curtis, et. al, explained in chapter 2 pp. 106 and 107, the Mixed Economy.
Teen Pregnancy cost the US over $7 billion annually. http://www.lifelinefamilycenter.org/teenpregnancyfacts.htm
Countries with lower rates of teenage pregnancy — the Netherlands, Germany, and France — also have liberal contraceptive coverage for contraceptive pills and devices, including free contraceptive services for teenagers (Berne & Huberman, 1999). Can the US and the UK take this same approach?
D Lomax
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The myriad challenges of teen pregnancies are indeed complex. The issue is a never ending debate as much as pro-choice and pro-life debate. The subject is highly sensitive and provokes deeply rooted values among individuals. Does government supersede parental responsibilities, religious beliefs, or a society’s culture?
ReplyDeleteI would agree the costs of teen pregnancies both in dollars but more importantly the price these youngster pay with the loss of their childhood and future opportunity is devastating.
Poverty does indeed impact the rate of teen pregnancies. One constant factor is the lack of quality education that plagues low-income communities and the sense of hopelessness that contributes to a cyclical pattern of behaviors for generations.
The implications for the US would be to take a lesson from the UK and provide the added resources to expand access to health care, education, appropriate housing and human services.
Nevertheless, there are still two states in the US that has yet to adapt a policy that allows teens’ access to birth control without parental consent. These states evidently answer to their constituency. Can and does the Obama administration have the ability determine a national policy that overrides the sovereignty of states and/or the individual?
DianaP