A Guide to Understanding the Well-Being of Children & Families in Erie County, Pennsylvania
Births to Single Teens
CHARTS
Births to Single Teens by Municipality for 1997 to 2001Births to Single Teens by County for 2001
Births to Single Teens by City for 2001
Births to Single Teens by Race
MEASUREMENT
Figures for births my marital status and age1 for the stat and counties are from the PA Health Department as is the information on municipalities in Erie County.2 Information on the City of Erie,3 and Erie County4 race data is from the Erie County Department of Health. The rate of births to unmarried teens is the number of births to single women under age 20 divided by the population of 15 to 19 year olds and multiplied by 1,000.
State data was provided by the Bureau of Health Statistics and Research, Pennsylvania Department of Health. Local data was provided by the Erie County Department of Health, Erie County Vital Statistics Database and Health Care Cost Summit – Health Status Indicators Project. These entities specifically disclaim responsibility for any analyses, Interpretations or conclusions.
DESCRIPTION
The increase in births to unmarried women, especially unmarried teenagers, is among the many changes in American society that has affected family structure and the economic security of children. The impacts of increasing birth rates among unmarried teenagers are devastating to a community. Higher rates of poverty, poor academic achievement, reduced earning power, increased reliance on government supports such as welfare and medical assistance, and poorer overall health are just a few of the numerous negative outcomes for young parents and their children.
DATA ANALYSIS
- In 2001, the Erie County rate of births to single teens was 27.3% higher than the state rate and was higher than any other Urban Third Class County except Dauphin.
- The rate for the City of Erie was 115.2% higher than the Pennsylvania rate for 2001. Both Allentown and Harrisburg had a higher rate of births to single teens than the City of Erie.
- Although the rate of births to single teens is significantly higher for Blacks than for Whites, the reduction from the recent high rate (1999) for Blacks was 24.5% while the reduction for Whites was 20.4% from the recent high (1997) in Erie County.
FOOTNOTE
1 Resident Live Births by Marital Status, Age of Mother, and County. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2003, from http://webserver.health.state.pa.us/health/lib/health/BRX002P_01.pdf.
2 Resident Live Births by Marital Status, Age of Mother, County and MCD. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2003, from http://webserver.health.state.pa.us/health/BRX002P_01.pdf.
3 Erie City Birth Data. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2003, from http://www.ecdh.org/documents/teenci00.pdf.
4 Erie County Pregnancy and Birth Data. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2003, from http://www.ecdh.org?documents?teenec00.pdf.