Pregnancies among Lucas County teens declined for the second consecutive year, although the rate continues to be higher than it was from 2002 through 2005, according to the state's latest estimates.
There were 1,307 pregnancies among Lucas County females aged 10 to 19 in 2008, down from 1,363 in 2007, recent Ohio Department of Health estimates show.
Still, at 42.3 per 1,000 females, Lucas County in 2008 had the fifth-highest rate of teen pregnancies among counties statewide, up from No. 7 in 2007, the statistics show.
United Way, Lucas County Family Council, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Toledo Public Schools, the Toledo-Lu-cas County Health Department, and others have been working together to appropriately use evidence-based programs to reduce teen-pregnancy rates, Barb Gunning, director of health services at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, said.
Such efforts - including starting a sexual education program at TPS in 2007 that teaches the risks of becoming teen parents, plus skills to remain abstinent or avoid unprotected sex - appear to be helping, Ms. Gunning said.
"I think that has a lot to do with it," she told members of the health department's board during their monthly meeting yesterday.
The latest on teen pregnancy was among reports given yesterday to the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department board. Officials also discussed H1N1 influenza vaccinations, of which the department administered 58,000 dosages and has 20,000 left, including many from hospitals and doctors who did not use them.
Some of the 20,000 dosages are expired or nearing expiration, and the department is awaiting word from the state about how to dispose of them, Eric Zgodzinski, director of community response and preparedness, said.
H1N1 vaccinations are given at its offices and clinics, including from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at Wayman Palmer YMCA, 2053 North 14th St., Toledo. But fewer people are getting immunized, officials said.
"There seems to be a lull and a feeling of security, and that may be legitimate," Dr. David Grossman, health department commissioner, said.
The health department should examine how many health-care providers working at Toledo area hospitals received H1N1 vaccinations - and whether they advised patients against getting them, Dr. Donna Woodson, president of the health department board, said.
"I'm very disturbed by that," Dr. Woodson said. "It's sort of a disgrace, I think. We have to better educate our health-care workers."
Dr. Grossman said after the meeting about 15 percent of Lucas County residents have so far received H1N1 vaccinations. While much of the general public unfortunately has not received H1N1 vaccinations, up to 30 percent of those in high-risk groups - including children and pregnant women - have been immunized, he said.
"Our goal was to get the high risk," Dr. Grossman said.
With teen pregnancy, Dr. Grossman said the fall in Lucas County rates is promising, but another year's data is needed to help establish a real trend.
Elsewhere in northwest Ohio, Allen County again had the next highest rate of teen pregnancy behind Lucas County in 2008. Allen County's teen pregnancy rate also fell, from 40.1 per 1,000 females in 2007 to 37.6 females in 2008.
Teen-pregnancy rates rose in some northwest Ohio counties for 2008, including Fulton County. Those increases, however, mostly were attributed to more pregnant females aged 18 to 19.
Putnam and Paulding counties tied for having the lowest teen-pregnancy rates in northwest Ohio in 2008 at 21.8 per 1,000 females.
Contact Julie M. McKinnon at: jmckinnon@theblade.com or 419-724-6087.
advertisement
