Teen Birth Rates Drop, But Disparity Between Urban And Rural Areas Remains
Researchers speculate that lack of access to health care is part of the problem for the teens in rural areas.
Los Angeles Times:
There's Another Type Of Rural/Urban Divide In America: Teens Having Babies
The teen birth rate in America’s small towns is 63% higher than in its biggest cities, a new government report reveals. In 2015, there were 18.9 births for every 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 19 living in counties with large urban areas, according to a report published Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That compares with 30.9 births per 1,000 women in the same age group who lived in rural counties, the report said. (Kaplan, 11/16)
In other public health news —
KPBS Public Media:
Drug Use Among Men Booked In County Jails Hits 16-Year High, Report Finds
Illegal drug use among men in San Diego County jails was at a 16-year high last year, with more than three-quarters of the inmates testing positive, according to a report released today by the San Diego Association of Governments. The annual substance abuse monitoring report released by the SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Division showed that 76 percent of male inmates tested positive for an illegal drug in 2015 -- 8 percent higher than in 2014. (11/16)
KPBS Public Media:
Report Explores How Doctors Can Help Patients Fight Food Insecurity
The San Diego Hunger Coalition released a report last month on how doctors can screen patients to find out if they’re struggling to put food on the table and connect them to food assistance programs. For its research, the Hunger Coalition launched five pilot programs over the last two years in distinct health care settings throughout the county. (Cabrera and Cavanaugh, 11/16)