Examination of Policies to Reduce Teen Pregnancies - Research Paper Example

EXAMINATION OF POLICIES TO REDUCE TEEN PREGNANCIES By Professor Class University Date of submission Introduction In the United States, about 0ne million unintended teen pregnancies occur annually. From the number of pregnancies, 400,000 often lead to birth. These unwanted pregnancies are the significant health issue for the younger women and the government regarding resources to educate the teen. To reduce such impacts, it is important to promote practices that would assist in reducing teen pregnancies. However, most countries consider teen pregnancy to be one of the biggest problems in the 21st century. These pregnancies occur across all the levels irrespective race and creed. In 2006, the country spent approximately $11 billion on the births from the unintended pregnancies. It is important to note that most countries including the United States consider teen pregnancies to occur below the 20 years at the moment the baby is born (Lawton, 2007, 254) Such age limit is irrespective of whether the teen in question is married or not. However, in common parlance, most people view teen pregnancies to occur among the unmarried minors who become parents unintentionally. In most cases, such pregnancies often pose serious medical and emotional concern for the teen in question (Hadisoemarto, 2009, 188). Unwanted pregnancies have a stronger connection with the social, financial, and health complications. Whenever unintended pregnancies occur among the teens, negative outcomes often occur at the greater rate compared to women of older age. According to national statistics, in every five unintended pregnancies one is from the teenagers with a staggering 82 percent belonging to the age groups between 15 and 19 years. It is from such background that the study would be focusing on Mentor-Mentee Teen Pregnancy Reduction Act – H.R. 4034 to assist in reducing teen pregnancies. It is believed that employing policies that touches the exact needs of the teens play an important role in addressing issues affecting the teens including unintended pregnancies. 6Problem Background Within the United States, teen pregnancies have been on the rise. With the state government has been taking precautionary measures through the medical practitioners and interest groups within the community to help lower these increasing rates. However, most of the policies enacted within the country have not been able to prosper successfully due to uncertain reasons behind the alarming rates. Researchers indicate most pregnancies among the teenagers are unplanned. In addition, the major factors including the rates among these age groups are having unprotected sex due to rush and over excitement, broken condoms, late withdrawal, and incorrect contraceptive measures. While developing pregnancy reduction policies among the teens, it is important to involve various stakeholders. In the states, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 present a comprehensive strategy of addressing teen pregnancies. To address the issue effectively, it would be important that both the state and the federal policy leader take part in the implementation process of the laws. Even though there are disagreement among the parties related to how health care system should transpire, it is important to ensure agreement to improve prevention measures. Healthcare practitioners, parents and the community also play an important role in ensuring proper implementation of the strategy. Most adolescent identify healthcare practitioners as the most reliable source of information. However, most practitioners feel inadequately prepared to provide such information to the teens (Tucker & Youth Communication, 2010, 274). Therefore, there is need to educate these practitioners about culturally sensitive and appropriate health care systems for the youths. Parents also play a vital role in educating the teenagers. It is crucial to develop a family strength with these teens to assist them to grow into healthy adults. Ideally, it is the responsibility of the parents to educate their children on sexual matters and explore their feelings in relation to sexuality, pregnancy prevention, and contraception. Therefore, it is important to involve the parents while developing pregnancy prevention among the teens. Literature Review According to Eriksson curative theory, there is a greater distinction between the caring ethics and practical relationship. It is important that the stakeholders work closely to ensure proper implementation of the policies with each having a defined role. The Congress introduced Mentor-Mentee Teen Pregnancy Reduction Act in 2012, which proposed the pairing of the identified teenage risks in the schools setting with the mentor. According to the bill, there are several factors contributing to teenage pregnancies; therefore, to prevent such unwanted pregnancies, there is need focus on and understand these issues. Several studies indicate that the values of the families and cultures have gone down which is a major factor contributing increased independence level. The communities, parents, and practitioners from psychological and healthcare system relented on their duties to educate these teens of pregnancies issues (Healthy People, n.d, n.p). As per the legislation, the mentors were to be trained on matters relating to mentor-mentee interactions and, for the mentorship period, the states was to assist them the reduction of school loans by up to $2000 annually in exchange for their 200 hours of service. These mentors were to educate the teens on matters regarding multiple health topics such as nutrition, sexual activities and contraception, and physical exercise. More importantly, the Act encourages the mentors to inspire their mentees to forego any sexual activity until they achieve their educational goals and are in a position to explore future occupational opportunities. It is important that the bill occurs directly as it addresses the verbalization of the teens that they desire mentors and the role models whom could assist them in the decision-making process. The program aimed at amending the title V of the Social Security Act through the provision of the grants for the school-based programmes that mentors the teenagers especially the girls to prevent or reduce their rates of pregnancies (Card & Benner, 2008, 201). Furthermore, the programme provides the mentors with student loan forgiveness for their participation in such programmes. According to Eriksson curative theory, curative caring integrates matters relating to love, reverence, and charity for human dignity and holiness. The major reason behind the development of the model was to create a balance of the cure orientation medicine. However, such theoretical framework could be used as intervention to help in reducing the rate of pregnancies among the teens. These teenagers need an approach such as curative caring strategy since, at their age; they are emotional and trying to find their own personalities (Creswell, 2009, 111). In the UK, issues associated with unintended pregnancies are on the rise. However, there are adequate measures to these escalating statistics due to the ongoing debates how the state should give sex education. In addition, there are federal laws that promote abstinence among the youths and provide funds for these programmes (Schalet, 2011, 211). As a result, these practices help in prohibiting sex-related activities. Nonetheless, studies have been able to prove that abstinence and to focus on education only as the main approach has failed in preventing pregnancies. Additionally, all the policies used in the U.S. and U.K. failed to incorporate the views of the teenagers to determine some of the factors driving them to engage in early sexual activities. Therefore, the identified reflects the need for further studies with the involvement of the teenagers. Methods To enact the Act on the mentorship programme, the state government relied on the information collected by the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The sample of the study was taken from 80 high schools and 52 middle schools in the U.S. with an equal probability of selection to prevent biasness of the results. The used sample is a representation of all the schools in the country with respect to region of the country, school type, school size, ethnicity, and urbanity. The target population for this sample was the adolescent females aged between 15 years and 17 years old. The settings of the research were to educate the teens on the methods of preventing unintended pregnancies were their respective homes, schools, community outreach centers, clinics, media outlets, and the primary childcare providers. The researchers chose the settings since education could be given virtually at any place, however, the primary setting where most of the teenagers spend most of their time between 15 and 17 years old is in school. Such studies contributed to the establishment of the programmes that would help in reducing these pregnancies in schools. The research collected the data through semi-structured interviews with the schedules developed using community assessment model, which formed the formed, the basis of the theoretical framework of the research (Chen & Thompson, 2007, 121). To ensure effective participation of the teens and collection of the unbiased result, privacy was maintained. Additionally, the organization analyzed the data using the template analysis style, the quasi-statistics, and content analysis based on open coding. While the positivists believe that the mentor and the teens are independent on one another, the post-positivists believe that the mentors have the opportunity of influencing the knowledge and the values of the teens. Currently, the teens are exposed to different social media and online platforms where they post their troubling questions and acquire solutions from different people. The bond between the teens and the parents is reducing a factor that is greatly contributing to increasing level of sexuality (Berglas & California State Library, 2003, 167). Most people who offer such advice are unprofessional leading to the increment of the rising level of pregnancies. However, in positivism, people believe that is the responsibility of the parents to discuss matters relating to sexuality with their children. With the changing perception of the people on such roles, embracing post-positivism in addressing these issues would help bring together all the stakeholders in ensuring effective implementation of the Act. Findings In relation to community core values and beliefs, most of the teenagers do not understand the meaning of dating. Even as teenagers attempt to discover mutually satisfying relationships, it is important that they understand the underlying consequences of some decision they make in life. For the parents involved in the research, pregnancies among the teens result in huge financial, education, and emotional hardship. Consequently, some of the teenagers view such pregnancies as the methods of proving their fertility. As established from the study, most parents do not support early pregnancies; however, both the teens and their parents ascertained that their socio-economic statuses greatly influenced their level of susceptibility. Other factors that contribute to the rising rates are the lack of confidence, denial of precise and honest education on sex, and sensitive and affordable contraceptive services. Additionally, some teens also cited that poor relationships and factors have increased their level of vulnerability (Centre for Disease Control, 2010, 189). Globally, access to sexual information and skills among the teens is crucial to addressing the rising levels of pregnancy cases. Moreover, the study also revealed that most teens are engaged in sexual education while they are in high schools a factor that they claim does not help much at their level. Introducing the teens to sexual education and mentoring programmes at the early stages is important since they would have to deal with matters relating to sexuality at some point. Therefore, practicing such activity at early stages would help them make informed sexuality choices when they reach such stages. Even in the study, the participants mentioned the significance of sex education campaigns in schools, abstinence of sexual activities by the teenagers, and provision of recreational facilities for the teenagers to them effectively manage their time as a preventive means of reducing the rising level of pregnancies. Although the policy has not been able to achieve its objective since its implementation, the rate of teen pregnancies has declined to some manageable level. The policy has been able to increase the level of awareness of factors influencing teens to engage in early relationships and consequently sexual activities. Moreover, through education on sexuality, the teen have been able to learn matters of early pregnancies, their negative consequences, and developed the required skills in making informed decisions. However, while designing the material used in educating the teens, the researchers failed to integrate the views of the targeted groups. Public involvement is crucial to ensuring effective implementation of any project or policy (Magill, 2012, 288). Besides the academic skills and educational inspirations, learning social skills as outlined in the Act is also crucial in inhibiting the teenagers from engaging in early sexuality. Deprived teens and those with low educational achievement are at greater risks of engaging in early sex that could result in pregnancies. There are available options for the United States to employ while addressing the problems associated with teen pregnancies. For example, in 2009, Holland was able to reduce the rate of pregnancy among teenagers. In addition, the country boasts of reduction in the rates of abortion among the teens. However, it has a different approach to sex education compared to that of the United States (Richardson & Schuster, 2003, 132). While most policies focus on discussing sex related issues in the forum, there is, need to put more emphasis during the discussions to respect to others, caring, and relationships. On the contrary to that of the United States whose policies do not address the needs to speak of such issues directly. Besides, the Americans talk shyly openly on matters of sexuality. In the current modern era, children have their mind that influencing might be difficult. Most research work indicate that currently ordering the teens around or telling them what to do no longer works. As a result, there is a need to understand why they need to consider whatever they are told since their curiosity would always drive them to want to know more regarding what they are told. While evaluating how far the intervention employed by the states, it would be important to focus on the qualitative study since the objective of the implemented policies was to reduce the number of pregnancies among the teens. There are diversified factors associated with sexuality among the teens, which often result in complexity during policy formulation. Policy formulation also requires integration of the value of the public. The United States is a country with people from different cultural systems and beliefs; however, the rule of law needs to apply on the land to control some of the unwanted activities. People have different values and beliefs that guide their decisions and level of interactions. Besides, most parents view the current teens to be out of control and leave matters regarding their sexual education to the teachers (New Strategist Publications, 2005, 89). Therefore, through implementation of the Act and relevant programmes, the law ensured that even those teens whose parents have no expertise to teach them acquired the required knowledge and skill by allowing such programmes to take part in schools. Conclusion Teen pregnancies do not only affect the United States but also other countries. Nevertheless, policies put across would help to differentiate two states aiming to reduce such negative effects. Through implementation of the Mentor-Mentee Teen Pregnancy Reduction Act in 2012, the government believed that it would address issues associated with teen pregnancies. However, the policy does not offer the teens the chance to contribute to curriculum development process. Mentoring the youths does not guarantee automatic quality decision-making process in relation to sexuality. Therefore, the policy leaves the gap for further studies with the involvement of the teens while aiming to address the issues affecting them. References Berglas, N., & California State Library. 2003. Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing in California. Sacramento, Calif.: California State Library, California Research Bureau. Card, J. J., & Benner, T. 2008. Model programs for adolescent sexual health: Evidence- based HIV, STI, and pregnancy prevention interventions. New York: Springer Pub. Centre for Disease Control (CDC). 2010. Preventing teenage pregnancy 2010-2012. Atlanta: CDC. Chen, A. C., & Thompson, E. 2007. Preventing adolescent risky sexual behavior: Parents matter. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 12(1), 119-122. Creswell, J. W. 2009. Research design: qualitative and quantitative approaches. London: Sage. Hadisoemarto, P. F. 2009. Utilization of PRECEDE model to identify risk factors of sexual initiation and engagement in unprotected sex among adolescents. Atlanta, GA: Georgia State University. Healthy People. n.d.. 2020 Topics and Objectives – Objectives A–Z | Healthy People 2020. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/default.aspx Lawton, S. A. 2007. Pregnancy information for teens: Health tips about teen pregnancy and teen parenting. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, Inc. Magill, E. 2012. Pregnancy information for teens: Health tips about teen pregnancy and teen parenting. Detroit: Omnigraphics. New Strategist Publications, Inc. 2005. American Health: Demographics and spending of health care consumers. Ithaca, NY: New Strategist Publications. Richardson, J., & Schuster, M. A. 2003. Everything you never wanted your kids to know about sex: The secrets to surviving your child's sexual development from birth to the teens. New York: Crown Publishers. Schalet, A. T. 2011. Not under my roof: Parents, teens, and the culture of sex. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Tucker, M. L., & Youth Communication (Organization). 2010. The morning after: Teens write about sex and unplanned pregnancy. New York: Youth Communication. Read More