Sunday, April 13, 2014

Chicago's progressive new initiative might help teen health

Chicago Public Schools will be expanding a program that will provide high-school kids with free condoms.

The teen birth rate in Chicago is 57 per 1,000, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health. This rate is higher that the New York rate and higher than the U.S. rate, according to CDPH.

WBEZ had a great segment about the issue this week.



While teen pregnancy rates have dropped in recent years, there are still disparities in terms of race. Latina and African American teens are also two to three times more likely to give birth than Caucasian teens, according to Chicago's Action Plan for Healthy Adolescents.

The issue of STDs and HIV is also still a big problem, particularly among minority teenagers.

But will this initiative actually help protect teens? It worked in New York, so the odds might be good.

Illinois began requiring comprehensive sex-ed in 2013 and to now take it a step further shows a promising progressive future on the teen health front.






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