Health Resource Capacity Assessment for Danielson, Connecticut, June 2003

Health Needs and Barriers to Care: Teen pregnancies

Killingly has been consistently identified as an at-risk community for teen pregnancy with rates significantly higher than the statewide average.⁹⁷ This was confirmed by several stakeholders in interviews, however others did not feel that Danielson's rate was high.⁹⁸ In 1999, 38 of the 236 births to Killingly residents were to teen mothers, a rate much higher than the statewide rate (16.1% Killingly vs. 7.9% Connecticut). Fourteen of those Killingly teen births were to mothers under age 18 (5.9% vs. 2.9% Connecticut)⁹⁹. The average fathers' age of babies born to Killingly teen moms was 21.47 (1995-1997); fathers averaged 1.3 years older than teen moms, the lowest difference among Connecticut's 23 communities at risk for teen pregnancy. Killingly teen mothers ranged between 9.25 (15-year old moms) and 11.04 (19 year-old moms) years of education, very similar to averages for Connecticut's 23 at-risk communities. The vast majority of Killingly teen moms do not have other children (87%).¹⁰⁰

Killingly births were more likely to be low birth weight (11.5% vs. 7.6% Connecticut) and to have received late or no prenatal care (14.7% vs. 10.8% Connecticut) than the Connecticut average.¹⁰¹ In 1999, Killingly residents suffered two fetal deaths and two infant deaths - one within 27 days of birth, the other between 28 days and one year of age.¹⁰²

Stakeholders involved in care management and childcare providers noted the special challenges facing young mothers. Many felt that young parents, particularly those from low-income families, feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of parenthood and that many are unprepared educationally or emotionally to handle it. Instability in public assistance programs, such as HUSKY, have made matters worse.¹⁰³ In 2000, 40% of Killingly births (86 births) were covered under Medicaid/HUSKY Part A.¹⁰⁴

A care manager for at-risk mothers at Day Kimball Hospital noted that she has seen a significant increase over the years in teen pregnancies in Danielson. She also noted an increase in substance abusing pregnant women and a serious lack of treatment options available. Language barriers are becoming more serious and more diverse. Another care manager noted that more young parents lack basic parenting skills. She sees more incidents of young parents not being able to appropriately discipline their children, verbal abuse and a general lack of coping skills.¹⁰⁵

Killingly, together with other towns in Northeastern Connecticut, participated in a regional teen pregnancy prevention planning process in 1998 through Quinebaug Valley Youth and Family Services.¹⁰⁶ The study included focus groups, surveys of youth and providers, research and community collaboration. A survey of sexual activity was administered to 1,351 high school students from Putnam, Plainfield and Killingly in the spring of 1998. Ninety percent of students felt that the number of unplanned pregnancies among teens is a problem. Almost half of students have had sexual intercourse. Of students who are sexually active, only 58% answered that their parents are aware of their sexual activity. Of the other 42%, half are not sure if their parents know and half claim that their parents are not aware. Forty one percent of respondents had either taken a pregnancy test themselves or their partner had taken one. By far the most common answers to the question of why teens do not access services were embarrassment, fear and concerns about confidentiality.¹⁰⁷ It is important to note that these results are combined for students from all three study towns. Only the last question was analyzed separately by town and Killingly student responses were similar to those of students from other towns. A set of recommendations was drafted to address and prevent teen pregnancy including collaborations among towns, service providers, early intervention, positive youth development, focused discussion group opportunities for youth with other community stakeholders, mentoring programs, improved transportation, and evaluation.¹⁰⁸ Unfortunately, funding was not available to implement the recommendations.

Next: Health Needs and Barriers to Care: Workers' Compensation

Footnotes

97. Rosemary S. Richter, Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Connecticut, Department of OB & Gyn/Family Planning Program, UConn Health Center, 11/98
98. Stakeholder interviews
99. Connecticut Resident Births, 1999, Table 4: Births to Teenagers, Low Birthweight Births, and Prenatal Care for Counties, Health Districts and Towns, Connecticut Department of Public Health Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation
100. J. Palley, Unpublished data for 1995-1997, Dept of OB & Gyn/Family Planning Program, UConn Health Center, 2001.
101. Connecticut Resident Births, 1999, Table 4: Births to Teenagers, Low Birthweight Births, and Prenatal Care for Counties, Health Districts and Towns, Connecticut Department of Public Health Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation
102. Connecticut Resident Births, 1999, Table 7: Infant, Neonatal and Postnatal Deaths, Connecticut Department of Public Health Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation
103. Stakeholder interviews
104. Births to Mothers in HUSKY A by Town, 2000, Children's Health Council, January 2003, www.childrenshealthcouncil.org
105. Stakeholder interviews
106. Windham Teen Pregnancy Prevention Planning Initiative, Strategic Plan, June 1998
107. Judith Delmas, Survey of Teen Sexuality, Quinebaug Valley Youth and Family Services, June 1998.
108. Plainfield- Killingly Teen Pregnancy Prevention Planning Strategy, Quinebaug Valley Youth and Family Services, July 1998