Selected Survey Results

1. Selected Survey Results The National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy

2. “Do you think that the number of teenage pregnancies in the United States is a serious problem or not a serious problem?” Not a serious problem Not a serious problem 10.6% 5.8% Serious problem 92.6% Serious problem 88.0% Adults Teens

3. “How important do you think it is for teens to be given a strong message from society that they should abstain from sex until they are at least out of high school?” Adults Teens 93.3% 6.6% 94.5% 4.7% Important Not important

4. “Which of the following comes closest to your view?” Teens should not be sexually active, but teens who are should have access to birth control (or “protection.”)Teens should not be sexually active and should not have access to birth control (or “protection”)It’s okay for teens to be sexually active, as long as they have access to birth control (or “protection.”) Adults Teens 73.0% 15.0% 11.6% 56.3% 18.4% 25.0%

5. Suppose a parent or other adult tells a teenager the following: “I feel very strongly that not having sex at all during your middle and high school years is your best option and the right thing to do. I also think it is important for you to receive information about birth control or protection. But, again, I think not having sex is your best option.”

6. “Do you think this is a clear and specific message or do you think this is a confusing or mixed message?” Confusing or mixed message 24.3% 28.3% 74.7% 70.6% Clear and specific message Clear and specific message Adults Teens

7. “If you were to offer advice to leaders in Washington regarding teen pregnancy, would it be greater emphasis on encouraging teens not to have sex, greater emphasis on birth control or protection, or more emphasis on both?” Emphasis on abstinence 23.2% 18.4% 68.6% 67.4% 7.5% 13.3% Emphasis on both Emphasis on both Emphasis on contraception Adults Teens

8. “If you’ve had sexual intercourse, do you wish you had waited longer?” Nearly two-thirds of teens who have had sex wish they had waited.

9. Of those that have had sex, more than one-half of teen boys (55%) and the overwhelming majority of teen girls (72%) said they wish they had waited longer to have sex. • The majority of older teens (15-17 years old) surveyed also wish they had waited longer to have sex. Nearly six in ten older teens (58%) said they wish they waited longer to have sex.

10. “Do you think it is embarrassing for teens to admit they are virgins?” Close to nine of ten teens (87%) surveyed do not think it is embarrassing to admit they are virgins.

11. “Generally speaking, what advice would you give to a younger brother or sister?” “Don’t have sex until you’re at least out of high school, but if you do, be certain to protect yourself against pregnancy and STDs,” is the advice the majority (64%) of teens would give.

12. “When it comes to teens’/your sexual decision-making, which of the following is most influential? Would you say…” Adults Teens Parents Friends The media Teachers and sex educators Brothers and sisters Religious organizations 38.3% 31.7% 3.6% 6.8% 7.4% 9.1% 31.7% 50.0% 7.5% 3.5% 3.0% 2.9%

13. “Other than teens themselves, who do you think is most responsible for fixing the problem of teen pregnancy? Would you say…” Adults Teens Parents and adults The media Schools The government Religious organizations 85.0% 6.8% 3.7% 1.8% 1.2% 63.3% 14.5% 13.5% 5.4% 2.1%

14. “Have you had a helpful conversation with your parents about sex?” More than one-third of teens say they have not had even a single helpful conversation with their parents about sex.

15. “If you had to give a grade from “A” to “F” to the sex or abstinence education classes you have taken in school, on average, what would you give the classes?” Six of ten teens grade their sex or abstinence education classes as above average (“A” or “B”).

16. “When your friends are deciding whether to have sex or not, how much do you think they are influenced by what other teens think? Would you say they are influenced a lot, influenced a little, or not influenced at all?” 5.5% Not influenced at all by what other teens think 35.2% Influenced a little 58.3% Influenced a lot Teens

17. “Even teens who haven’t had sex say they feel pressure to have it. From which of the following sources have you ever felt pressure to have sex?” All Teens Female Teens Male Teens Your partner Your friends The media Some other source Have not felt pressure to have sex

18. “Do you think one of the main reasons that teens do not use birth control is because their partner doesn’t want to use any?” Half of teens (51.7%) believe that one of the main reasons that teens do not use birth control is because their partner doesn’t want to.

19. Surprisingly, teen boys (49.3%) and girls (54.2%) agree that pressure from their partners is one of the main reasons that teens fail to use birth control.

20. “There are many reasons why teens get pregnant or get someone pregnant. In your opinion, which of the following is the primary reason why teens get pregnant? Would you say…” 100 Poor moral and values Parents not paying attention Lack of sufficient motivation to avoid pregnancy The influence of alcohol Birth control or protection being too hard to get The media 14.8% 23.7% 80 22.4% 60 22.0% 23.3% 40 19.4% 22.3% 15.0% 20 5.1% 7.9% 9.0% 7.9% AdultsTeens overall

21. “The teen pregnancy rate has been going down for the better part of the past decade. In your opinion, what is the primary reason explaining this decline? Would you say this is because of…” 100 Worry about AIDS/STDs More birth control or protection is available Increased attention to the issue More parental involvement Changing morals and values Fewer teens having sex Welfare reform Improved economy 37.9% 32.8% 80 6.8% 27.2% 60 24.2% 40 14.9% 18.9% 8.9% 6.9% 20 2.3% 5.2% 6.8% 1.0% 3.7% 1.7% 1.6% 1.9% Adults Teens

22. Parents shouldn’t be too concerned with talking to their kids about sex, love, and values because sex education is primarily the responsibility of schools. Do you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree strongly, or disagree somewhat? Agree net 8.8% 91.0% Disagree net Adults 91.0% 8.8% Disagree Agree

23. Parents believe they should talk to their kids about sex but often don’t know what to say, how to say it, or when to start. Do you agree or disagree? Disagree net 10.8% 88.4% Agree net Adults 88.4% 10.8% Agree Disagree

24. 35.8% More opposed to teens having sex 59.2% Remained unchanged in your views 4.3% Less opposed to teens having sex “When it comes to teens having sex, over the past several years would you say that you have become more opposed, less opposed, or remained unchanged in views.” Adults

25. Question for adults: Please react to the following statement: “Kids in your community are getting a clear message from the adults in their lives that teen pregnancy is wrong.” Would you say you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly with that statement?

26. Disagree net 32.8% 63.0% Agree net Adults Agree net Agree strongly Agree somewhat Disagree net Disagree somewhat Disagree strongly 63.0% 36.0% 27.0% 32.8% 18.6% 14.2%

27. Question for teens: Please react to the following statement: “I’m getting a clear message from the adults in my life that teen pregnancy is wrong.” Would you say you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly with this statement?

28. Disagree net 14.6% 85.1% Agree net Teens Agree net Agree strongly Agree somewhat Disagree net Disagree somewhat Disagree strongly 85.1% 57.2% 27.9% 14.6% 10.7% 3.9%

29. A Note about this Presentation The majority of slides in this presentation are from the National Campaign publication, With One Voice: America’s Adults and Teens Sound Off About Teen Pregnancy. The publication has results from a nationally-representative survey of over 1,000 adults over age 20 and 1,000 young people aged 12-19 conducted in January and February 2001. The other results are from various nationally polling of young people aged 12-17 conducted in 2000. For complete results, please visit the National Campaign’s website — www.teenpregnancy.org.