research: youth of color

While rates for white teens have dropped, there has been a 43% increase in teen pregnancy rates for Minnesota Latina teens. (1989- 2000, Center for Health Statistics, Minnesota Department of Health).

These disparities are not isolated instances. Research shows that youth of color are barraged with disparities.

Consider how resources and opportunities are distributed:

• In Minnesota 15%more white 9th graders participate in after school sport teams than their African American and American Indian peers.
  
  
• Due to lack of health insurance, poverty and difficulty accessing culturally competent health care, children of color are at greater risk of poor health.

Risk Factors Dominate

Indifference, hopelessness, and long-term stress due to racism lead to a lack of skills and motivation to avoid too early pregnancy. The risk factors shown to exist within the environments of youth of color are all associated with teen pregnancy.

• Students of color experience more emotional distress and are almost twice as likely to say they feel sad or hopeless most or all of the time compared to white students.
  
  
• Students of color are more likely to receive threats or injuries with a weapon on school grounds and are more likely to skip school because they feel unsafe either at school or on their way to/from school than white students in every grade level.
  
  
• Poverty can be the biggest risk factor of all. People of color are two to five times more likely to live in poverty than white populations.

What Works?

Research indicates improvement and encourages hope. Youth of color report aspirations for higher education, positive trends in family relationships, communication with parents and reductions in sexual activity.

Clearly, it is impossible to address generic efforts toward "populations of color." Rather, community-specific programs must be emphasized, prioritized and funded.

Programs that are proven to be effective are available and ready to be culturally adapted and customized for gender. Here the community plays a vital role.

Effective interventions must cultivate skills and create opportunities for young people to grow in a safe and healthy way.