Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Risky Behavior Decreased 'Markedly' Among Younger Students
The Washington Post: Fewer Teens, Several Ethnic Groups Are Less Sexually Active
The number of high-school-aged teens who are having sex dropped markedly over a decade, a trend that includes substantial declines among younger students, African Americans and Hispanics, according to a new government report released Thursday. The survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed especially steep declines in the past two years. It adds to evidence about ongoing progress in reducing risky behavior by teenagers, who are becoming pregnant, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and using marijuana at lower rates than younger people before them, according to public health surveys. (Bernstein, 1/4)
The Hill: More Students Are Putting Off Having Sex
The most significant declines occurred among 9th and 10th grade students. Just under a quarter of 9th graders reported having sex, down 10 percentage points from a decade ago, while the number of 10th graders with sexual experience declined by 7 points. “The decreases in sexual intercourse by grade suggest that fewer students are having sexual intercourse during the earlier years of high school,” authors Kathleen Ethier, Laura Kann and Timothy McManus wrote. They called those findings “especially encouraging.” (Wilson, 1/4)
