Oklahoma has improved its teen birth rate in the past five years but still moved up to the fourth highest in the U.S., according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state reduced the rate of teenage births by 18 percent between 2007 and 2011, but U.S. teen births declined by 25 percent with all but two states showing decreases of more than 15 percent.
Oklahoma's results may be the first showing of the long-term impacts from programs related to early education, child abuse and neglect and higher education, said Community Service Council Associate Director Jan Figart.
"It is a combination of individual, environmental and system changes," Figart said. "There is not one source of the change. It's a multi-factor situation."
Using the same time frame, Figart analyzed state data on teen use of contraception, onset of sexual activity and abortion rates.
No significant changes were found, she said.
Other social data found significant decreases in child abuse and neglect, improvements in the drop-out rate and college enrollment and the bolstering of early education programs.
"We show recognizable improvements in students graduating, teens going to college and the general improvement of the education of parents raising children," Figart said. "Research shows a relationship between a mother's education to the child's education. And that is one indicator of teen pregnancy."
Children enrolled in Oklahoma's first comprehensive early childhood programs are hitting high school and middle school ages, Figart said.
The state's dropout rate fell to 2.4 percent during the 2009-2010 school year, which is part of a steady decline since 2005-2006 when it was at 3.6 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Oklahoma ranks 14th nationally for the lowest high school dropout rate.
The rates of entering higher education went from 52.9 percent in 2004 to 56 percent in 2008, according to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.
Also, rates of physical child abuse and neglect fell from 14.6 per 1,000 children to 8.7 children, according to a report by the Community Service Council with state Department of Human Services data.
"It appears the promises of child abuse prevention programs are paying off," Figart said. "Promises of adding early education promises are paying off, and the aggressive push for reducing the dropout rate are paying off."
That doesn't mean comprehensive sex- and health-education programs and public awareness campaigns aren't effective, she said.
"You cannot say we can pull back on anything," Figart said. "We are hardly the cream of crop here. We have shown improvements but not like what the national numbers are showing."
The Tulsa Health Department has been expanding its reach in its Personal Responsibility Education Program, or PREP.
"The good news in Tulsa County is that we are making improvements because our programs and other teen pregnancy prevention programs are being welcomed into schools, community groups and some faith institutions," said Amy Brice, teen pregnancy prevention specialist for the health department.
The health department offers the course in several districts, including Sand Springs and Tulsa Public Schools' summer program.
Half the curriculum is focused on biology and medical information. The other is focused on communication and negotiation.
"We want them to know how to advocate for themselves," Brice said. "We need a shift in our culture so that it's OK to talk about puberty, sex education and body parts without being embarrassed about it. It needs to be normalized."
Union schools offer the Carrera program, a prevention program that includes financial planning, academic achievement, self-esteem building and sex education.
Most districts report having sex education programs only in alternative schools or for specific, permission-only classes. Also, some districts offer only an abstinence-based curriculum.
"We have to make it OK in Oklahoma to talk about it," Brice said. "The consequences of not talking about it are too great."
Even with the improvements, Oklahoma continues to have among the highest rates of teen births.
"The fact remains that teen childbearing costs Oklahoma taxpayers $190 million annually, not to mention the emotional and financial impact it has on the teens themselves, their families and their child," said Kim Schutz, director of the Tulsa Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
"We encourage Oklahoma to make continued investments in evidence-based programs that build self-esteem and teach decision-making skills to help our youth navigate the challenging situations they face in their daily lives."
Teen birth rates
Rates are births per 1,000 mothers ages 15 to 19:
Top states
| Arkansas |
50.7 |
| Mississippi |
50.2 |
| New Mexico, |
48.8 |
| Oklahoma |
47.8 |
| Texas |
46.9 |
| Louisiana |
45.1 |
| Kentucky |
43.5 |
| West Virginia |
43.5 |
| District of Columbia |
42.8 |
| Tennessee |
40.8 |
| Alabama |
40.5 |
| U.S. |
31.3 |
Bottom states
| New Hampshire |
13.7 |
| Massachusetts |
15.4 |
| Connecticut |
16.4 |
| Vermont |
16.8 |
| New Jersey |
18.7 |
| Minnesota |
19.3 |
| Maine |
20.8 |
| New York |
21.2 |
| Rhode Island |
21.3 |
| Utah |
23.1 |
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ginnie Graham 918-581-8376
ginnie.graham@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: State's teen birth rate 4th highest in nation
