O.C. Latino Teens Are More Sexually Active Than Peers

Orange County’s Latino teens are more likely to be sexually active and less likely to use birth control regularly than teens nationwide, according to a Planned Parenthood study released Thursday.

The survey dovetails with recently released state statistics that show a high birthrate among teenage Latinos even as the state’s teen birthrate has dropped in the past decade.

The family-planning organization hopes its study will lead to more sex education in the county’s schools.

“There is a misperception that comprehensive sex education encourages people to be more sexually active,” said Jon Dunn, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties. “Just saying no doesn’t work. These teens are already sexually active. It’s an unrealistic expectation.”

Of 448 Orange County teens interviewed, 44% of the Latino males were sexually active by age 14, higher than the national average of 30%. In addition, 35% of the Latino females were sexually active by age 15, and 67% of Latino teens ages 13 to 19 have had sex. Both figures are significantly higher than the national average. But only 48% of Latino teens use a condom every time they have sex, well below the national rate.

A recent study by the state Department of Health Services showed a birthrate of 90 for every 1,000 teenage Latinos in the state, compared with an average of 48.1.

The Orange County study showed that many teens responded to sex education classes: 21.8% said they decided not to have sex when given the opportunity after taking the classes, and 32.7% said they began to use condoms.

“We have a large, growing population of Latino teens who are sexually active at a young age, with a lack of knowledge of where they can go on these issues. It is very troubling,” Dunn said.

Dunn said Planned Parenthood will use the study to seek funding for programs that target Latino youths. Planned Parenthood has been allowed to bring its program into half a dozen schools in Orange County, its officials said.

Santa Ana Unified School District trustee Nadia Davis, who appeared Thursday when the results were released, said she had difficulty convincing other board members to support Planned Parenthood.

“There is this perception that Planned Parenthood is all about abortion,” she said. “There’s a fear it’s a controversial organization, even among teens.”

But Anaheim Union High School District trustee Harald G. Martin said more sex education is not needed.

“We’ve had sex education in the schools for more than 25 years, and I don’t see that the message has gotten through,” he said. “It’s up to parents to teach their children that they need to be responsible if they want to be in a sexual relationship.”