Survey raises disturbing questions, such as why so few parent
responses?
Community health experts are concerned that local teens
may be confused about the definition of sexual activity.
In a recent survey of 285 juniors at Hood River Valley
High School, 41 percent of female respondents and 55 percent of males said
they were sexually active. Yet, 63 percent of males said they had engaged
in oral sex and 57 percent in vaginal intercourse. The female numbers also
rose slightly, with 44 percent involved in oral sex and 43 percent having
intercourse.
Also of concern was that only 42 percent of females and
49 percent of males could name five different Sexually Transmitted
Infections.
“This is a big, big deal to us because of the potential
for sexual diseases,” said Betty Williams, the school nurse coordinator
for the Hood River County Health Department.
She and the six other members of a Teen Sexuality Panel
convened on Thursday for a community discussion of these issues. Williams
said it was possible that teens had been “speaking to the moment” when
they marked surveys. So, if they were not currently sexually active, they
had responded in the negative.
“I just want to remind teens and parents that once
someone becomes sexually active, they need to come in and have a
physical,” said Julie Passon, family nurse practitioner with the
Providence Hood River Women’s Clinic.
Of equal concern at the May 24 forum was the
relationship between drug/alcohol use and sexual behavior. Sixty-eight
percent of responding females and 65 percent of males had sexual
intercourse while under the influence of alcohol. The number was much
lower, at 32 and 35 percent respectively, for sex involving drug use.
Lauren Fein, an AmeriCorps member who moderated the
discussion, said that data was consistent with the state’s Healthy Teen
Survey. She said the matching statistics underscored her belief that
survey respondents had been honest about their life experiences.
She could not explain, however, why only 23 of 285
parents receiving the survey had returned it. Or why 22 of those surveys
were answered only by mothers.
Fein said the low return rate made it impossible to get
a true read on parental attitudes. She said there appeared to be a
discrepancy in communication perceptions between adults and teens.
However, the limited number of adult respondents made it difficult to
determine if a problem existed.
For example, all 23 parents stated a 100 percent belief
that they talked enough with their teens about sexuality. However,
students rated that communication at no higher than 60 percent.
Conversely, while 69 percent of responding parents wanted more information
about the sexuality issues being discussed in school, fewer than half of
the students favored them getting more data. And only 12 percent of
females and 8 percent of males wanted to meet with their parents to talk
about teen sexuality and pregnancy issues.
“We anticipated a smaller number of parents returning
the survey,” said Brent Emmons, assistant principal at HRVHS. “Our hope
was that having the survey come home would provide a way for parents to
talk to their kids.”
Fein, who is working through the Hood River County
Commission on Children and Families, has set up another program to spur
dialogue.
Her “Talk Sex, Not Tupperware” parties allow the family
to customize an in-home visit. Fein serves as facilitator for a lively
discussion that is intended to be both fun and educational. She can be
reached for more information at 387-7031.
Two teen moms sitting on the panel at the May 24th
forum urged parents to keep the lines of communication open with children
of all ages.
Caitlynn Huston, 17, is married and the mother of a
15-month-old daughter. She addressed the difficulty of juggling the duties
of a wife and mother while still attending high school.
Christina Ayala, 17, agreed that it was tough to study,
hold down a job, and raise her 2-year-old daughter.
“It can be overwhelming. Sometimes I don’t sleep,
because I have to do work,’ she said. “I’m really young and it’s really
hard to keep up with the teen life and trying to do the things I used to
do.”
However, both young mothers said love of their children
made the sacrifices worthwhile.
“After they are here there’s no regretting. There’s no looking back at
all,” said Ayala.
