Hispanics: at risk for adolescent pregnancy?
Data from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1982-1984, were analyzed to describe pregnancy, miscarriage, and age-specific birth rates as well as oral contraceptive use among Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban-American females age 12 to 19 years. The Cuban-American sample (n = 85) had the lowest pregnancy (99) and fertility (37) rates, with 6.5% ever having used oral contraceptives. In the Mexican-American (n = 638) and Puerto Rican women (n = 300) the pregnancy and fertility rates were 205 and 223, and 141 and 110, respectively. Of these two groups, 14.5% and 12.6% had ever used oral contraceptives. These results suggest that Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans are at risk for adolescent pregnancy, with the latter having more of the sociodemographic characteristics associated with the long-term disadvantages of early childbearing. These facts have implications for nursing practice and research.
Pletsch
P K
PK
School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53201.
D000293:Adolescent; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014481:United States