Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111252

Anura Ratnasiri, MSc, Lori Llewelyn, MPP, Carrie J. Florez, BSW, Eugene R. Takahashi, PhD, Michael Curtis, PhD, and Shabbir Ahmad, DVM MS PhD. Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Branch, California Department of Health Services, 1615 Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 997420, MS 8304, Sacramento, CA 95899, 916-650-0327, aratnas1@dhs.ca.gov

California teen birth rates – and repeat birth rates – have declined continuously since 1991 and are at historic lows for all age groups of teens and for all racial/ethnic groups. The decline in the Hispanic teen birth rate is especially important in California because 70% of teen births in California – and 75% of repeat births – are to Hispanic mothers (2003). For 15-17 year olds in California, the birth rate for Hispanic women is still more than five times higher than the rate for non-Hispanic whites and Asian/Pacific Islanders.

Between 1990 and 2002, California led the nation in declining teen birth rates for all race/ethnic groups, with the largest decline of any state in teen birth rates for Hispanics (-37%) and non-Hispanic Blacks (-60%) and the second largest decline for non-Hispanic Whites (-57%) and Asian/Pacific Islanders (-45%). California's teen birth rate and repeat birth rate are both now below the national average.

The 2003 teen birth rate of 38.9 per thousand in California covers wide variation in rates among the state's 58 counties. Five counties had rates below 20 per thousand, and six counties had rates above 60. Rates are highest in the Central Valley (corresponding to the relatively high proportion of Hispanics in the population) and lowest in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Drawing on data from California's Birth Statistical Master File and Department of Finance population estimates, this paper will review teen birth rates between 1990 and 2003, focusing on trends and patterns by age, race/ethnicity, and geographic location.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze trends and patterns in teen birth rates in California, with special attention to variation by race/ethnicity, and with comparative analysis to other states and at the county level.
• Describe California’s public health policies and programs in the context of the challenges posed by population growth, immigration, and poverty.

Keywords: Teen Pregnancy,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.