Snapshot of Girls' Health in NH
Sexual and reproductive health…
Good News:
• The percent of 9-12th grade girls who reported ever having sexual
intercourse decreased from 53% to 41% between 1993 and 2003. [1]
• NH ranks 48th in the nation for teenage pregnancy: 47/1000 girls
aged 15-19 become pregnant each year in NH, compared to 84/1000 nationally.
Of these pregnancies, 37% resulted in abortions, 50% in live births, and
14% in miscarriages. [2]
• 40% of 9-12th grade girls used birth control pills during their
last sexual intercourse compared to 21% nationally. [3]
• 60% of sexually-active 7-12th grade NH girls always use some form
of birth control. [4]
Challenges:
• Over 22,000 girls need publicly-supported contraceptive services,
but only 9,650 teenage girls are served by Title X-supported clinics.[2]
• Only 50% of 9-12th grade girls who had sexual intercourse in the
last 3 months used a condom. [5]
• Nationwide, more teens are engaging in oral sex, believing it
to be a safer alternative to sexual intercourse. [6]
• Girls who live in the poorest communities are at an increased
risk for pregnancy and STD’s (41/1000 vs. 11/1000 in the wealthiest
communities). The rate of chlamydia infection among teens is also higher
in the poorer communities (40/1000 vs. 9/1000). [7]
Body image, nutrition, physical activity…
Good News:
• 9-12th grade girls were less likely than boys to be overweight
(7% v. 13%) or at risk of becoming overweight (12% v. 15%).[5]
Challenges:
• 58% of 7-12th grade girls reported that they worry about how they
look quite a bit or very much.[4]
• Despite the fact that 18% of 9-12th grade NH girls were overweight
or at risk of being overweight (males= 28%), 40% described themselves
as overweight (males= 21%), and 67% were trying to lose weight (males=
24%). [5]
• 60% of 9-12th grade girls modified their diet to lose or keep
from gaining weight during the past 30 days. Sixteen percent (16%) went
without eating for more than 24 hours, 11% took diet pills, powders, or
liquids without a doctor’s advice, and 5% made themselves vomit
or took laxatives. [5]
• Nationally, 9-12th grade girls are not getting the recommended
amounts of fruits, vegetables, and milk. Only 20% ate 5 or more servings
of fruits and vegetables a day, and only 11% drank 3 or more glasses of
milk a day. [3]
• 44% of 9-12th grade NH girls did not participate in vigorous physical
activity for at least 20 minutes 3+ days of the week. [5]
Substance abuse…
Good News:
• Most 7-12th grade girls have NEVER used narcotics, downers, cocaine
or crack, chewing tobacco, hallucinogens, uppers, and inhalants.[4]
• 9-12th grade girls who reported regular smoking decreased from
29% to 13% between 1995 & 2003. [8]
• 58% of 7-12th grade girls have never smoked a whole cigarette.
[4]
• 62% of 9-12th grade girls who are current smokers tried to quit
smoking within the last year. [5]
Challenges:
• 14% of high school senior girls in NH use marijuana weekly or
more often.[5]
• The incidence of drinking starts early and rises quickly. Girls
who reported ever drinking alcohol jumped from 28% to 51% between 7th
and 8th grade. [4]
• 28% of 9-12th grade girls binged on alcohol (5+ drinks within
a couple hrs) at least once during the past month.[5]
• 7th-12th grade boys and girls who binged on alcohol were more
likely to use marijuana, smoke cigarettes, have sexual activity, and/or
seriously think about attempting suicide.[4]
• 34% of 9-12th grade girls have been told by a friend or family
member about things they said or did while they were drinking that they
could not remember. Eight percent (8%) drove after drinking at least once
in the last month. However, only 5% feel the need to cut down on their
drinking.[5]
• 24% of 9-12th grade girls had someone offer, sell, or give them
an illegal drug on school property during the past 12 months.[5]
Mental health…
Good News:
• 92% of 7-12th grade boys and girls felt their parents care about
them, and that their mothers (82%) and fathers (69%) are there for them
often.[4]
Challenges:
• In the last year, 1/3 of 9-12th grade girls (males =22%) felt
so sad or hopeless for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing
their usual activities, 23% seriously considered attempting suicide (males=
13%), 17% made a plan for how they would attempt suicide (males= 10%),
and 11% actually attempted suicide 1+ times (males= 4%).[5]
• Younger girls were more likely to have serious thoughts of killing
themselves (30% of 8th graders vs. 19% of 12th graders), to make a plan
to commit suicide (19% vs. 9%), and to attempt suicide (4% vs. 1%). [4]
Parents matter!
• Parental monitoring has an effect on the healthy behavior of 7-12th
grade girls. Girls who are highly-monitored reported lower levels of monthly
smoking (10% v. 41%), drinking (18% v. 57%), and sexual activity (19%
vs. 52%) than those with low levels of monitoring. [4]
• 7-12th grade boys and girls with democratic parents were less
likely than those with permissive parents to have had sexual intercourse
(25% v. 47%) and to have used tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana monthly (32%
v. 52%). [4]
____________
1. 1993 & 2003 NH Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) accessed at
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm on November 29, 2004
2. Alan Gutmacher Institute accessed at
http://www.agi-usa.org/sections/youth.html
on November 29, 2004.
3. National YRBS accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm
on November 29, 2004
4. Teen Assessment Project (TAP) 200-2001 Multi-Community Report. UNH
Cooperative Extension
5. 2003 NH YRBS accessed on November 29, 2004 at
http://www.ed.state.nh.us/education/data/index.htm
6. Remez, L. (2000). Oral sex among adolescents: Is it sex or is it abstinence?
Family Planning Perspectives, 32(6), 298-304.
7. NH Kids Count Data Book 2003
8. 1995 and 2003 NH YRBS ) accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm
on November 29, 2004
University of New Hampshire - Pettee Hall - 55 College Road - Durham, NH 03824 2/4/05