- Title
- Adolescent health in North Carolina: the last 15 years
-
-
- Date
- 1995
-
-
- Creator
- ["Surles, Kathryn."]
-
- Place
- ["North Carolina, United States"]
-
- Series
- CHES studies, no. 89
-
-
Adolescent health in North Carolina: the last 15 years
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No. 89
January 1995
ADOLESCENT HEALTH IN NORTH CAROLINA:
THE LAST 15 YEARS
by
N.C. DOCUMENTS
CLEARINGHOUSE
Kathryn B. Surles
MAR 2 1995
ABSTRACT
N.C. STATE LIBRARY
RALEIGH
In response to growing concern about adolescent health issues, this report examines a wide range of health
indicators for North Carolinians aged 10-19 years. Results show some positive trends: the percentages of
pregnant adolescents entering early prenatal care and using ancillary prenatal sendees have increased; fetal and
infant mortality among adolescent mothers has declined; and adolescent mortality from motor vehicle and other
unintentional injuries has dropped. For most other indicators examined in this report, however, findings
provoke concern about a wide range of health and social problems. These findings include rising levels of
adolescent pregnancy, unmarried childbearing, sexually transmitted disease, homicide, suicide, and crime as
well as high prevalences of behaviors and risk factors that often underlie those events. Accordingly, many
county health departments now rank adolescent health issues among their top priorities. This study also reveals
deep race and sex disparities in health outcomes and behaviors. These disparities must be a prime consideration
in formulating prevention strategies.
Both anational initiative, Healthy People 2000, and a corresponding state initiative, Healthy Carolinians
2000, address some of the problems of adolescence through the formulation of health objectives for adolescents
and young adults. The present report provides data for a number of those objectives and points up certain data
deficiencies that need to be addressed (sec Conclusion). Meanwhile, indicators from the biennial Youth Risk
Behavior Survey (Department of Public Instruction) will be used to track progress toward the risk reduction
objectives for the Year 2000.
The North Carolina General Assembly, through the Division of Maternal and Child Health, is now funding
a limited number of school-based health centers and local adolescent pregnancy prevention programs, as
described in this report. Based on present findings, expanded funding of those initiatives is amplyjustified and
required.
This study was funded in part by the Comprehensive Adolescent Health Care Program, Division of Maternal and Child
Health, North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources.
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT. HEALTH, AND NATURAL RESOURCES
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