| The stark truth revealed by the Scottish Health Statistics data is that the teenage pregnancy problem in Dundee is as bad as ever, with rates of conception as high in 2003/04 as they were a decade ago.
The figures will make for uncomfortable reading for officials at NHS Tayside and Dundee City Council, who have both made concerted efforts in recent years to reverse a trend viewed as a scar on the face of the city.
In total, 444 teenagers became pregnant in Dundee in 2003/04 — the highest since 2000 and broadly comparable with the first year for which records were kept in 1991/92, when 460 teens became pregnant.
The current rate of conception among every 1000 teenagers in Dundee is 64.4 — or around one in every 16 girls — compared to a national average of 42.4 or one in 23.
In Angus, the rate is above average at 45.9 per 1000 — one in 21 — while Perth is significantly below at a rate of 37.1 or one in 26.
In Tayside as a whole in 2003/04, the vast majority of the 848 teen pregnancies came in the 16 to 19 category, although there were 71 conceptions in the 13 to 15 age group — a rate of one in 100.
Ann Pearson, head of social inclusion with NHS Tayside and a lead player in the authority’s new sexual health strategy, said it was recognised Tayside had a problem with teenage pregnancy, but said the overall trend was downwards.
Ms Pearson said NHS Tayside was concentrating on lowering the conception rate among 13 to 15-year-olds as there was a distinction to be made between those young girls and older teens who may have made a “personal choice” to have a baby.
She said, “We know sexual activity is increasing amongst young people, but the number of conceptions is nonetheless coming down.
“What we want to be doing is encouraging young people to make informed decisions about sexual health and consequences for themselves, partners and the babies.”
She continued, “What we do know is there is a very close link between levels of deprivation and teenage conception and that is shown time and again in research work being done.
“We know there is a problem in Tayside and in particular in Dundee and we are particularly concerned with the girls in the 13 to 15 age group.
“In Tayside we have been working with partner agencies, young people and parents to develop an inter-agency sexual health strategy and delivery plan.
“It is part of a wide programme aiming to promote a more positive culture toward sex based on respect. It is about encouraging young people to delay first sex until they are ready — not just physically ready — and about emotional wellbeing and recognising the consequences of early sex.”
Reacting to the statistics today, a Dundee City Council spokesman said, “It is believed this particular set of statistics does not reflect a longer-term downward trend over the last few years in the number of teenage pregnancies, particularly in the 13-15 age group.
“The city council is continuing to work with its partners in health and the wider community to try to address the complex issues this subject raises.
“It is not possible for one agency alone to deal with this and it also needs the full involvement of the families of young people.
“The council remains committed to playing its part in ensuring the city’s young people have access to services and information that can help them.” |
