Steps in the Right Direction
From 1990 to 2001, the birth rate fell just 14% among Latina teens, while dropping 29% among white teens and 36% among black teens.
This publication draws on a wide range of research to present education, immigration and health facts related to the sexual wellness of Latino youth. The goal is simple: Give readers a richer and more nuanced look into these teens’ lives while informing policy and practice to better support their reproductive health needs.
From 1990 to 2001, the birth rate fell just 14% among Latina teens, while dropping 29% among white teens and 36% among black teens.
In 2001, 63% of Latino high-school males reported ever having had sex — a decline of 1% in eight years.
Though Latinos account for 14% of the population in America, they represent 20% of all new HIV/AIDS cases annually.
Latino males are more likely than females to have ever had sex, to have had sex at very young ages and to have had multiple partners.
Among Latinos, 10% reported using the pill the last time they had sex, compared with 23% of their white peers and 8% of their black peers.
Among Latinos, 11% of boys and 4% of girls reported having sex by their 13th birthday.
When it comes to the reproductive health of Latinos, national origin and generational status matter. For instance: Mexican-origin teens have higher birth rates than their Cuban-origin counterparts. And while only 42% of students who immigrated from Mexico report using contraception the first time they had sex, this rate jumps to 52% for second-generation students and even higher — to 56% — for their third-generation peers.
