-Caveat Lector-

"These same males [who have been involved in a pregnancy] are more likely to
fight, carry a weapon to school, attempt suicide, smoke cigarettes, drink
alcohol and use illegal substances..."
===========================================================
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 26 OCTOBER 1999 (26 OCTOBER 1999 GMT)

Contact: Rae Beasley or Jim Steele

[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
336-716-6878
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

New study shows link between sex and violence among N.C. high school males

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - High school males who have been involved in a
pregnancy are more likely to engage in behaviors that increase their risk of
injury or death, according to a new report titled, "North Carolina
Adolescent Males: Linking High Risk Behavior."

These same males are more likely to fight, carry a weapon to school, attempt
suicide, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and use illegal substances, said
the report's author, Robert H. DuRant, Ph.D., vice-chair for Health Services
Research for the Department of Pediatrics at Wake Forest University Baptist
Medical Center and director of the Brenner Center for Child and Adolescent
Health.

In 1997, 40.5 percent of sexually experienced males who carried a gun to
school had been involved in a pregnancy, while only 13.2 percent of non-gun
carriers had been involved in a pregnancy, according to the report. Also, 27
percent of males who had been in six or more fights in the last year had
also been involved in a pregnancy
.
"This data is not meant to imply that violent behavior causes pregnancy or
vice versa," DuRant said. "It shows that health risk behaviors co-occur and
that we must address and focus on a full range of behaviors to make an
impact."

The report was written by DuRant for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention
Coalition of North Carolina, a statewide, United Way agency whose mission is
to prevent teen pregnancy. The coalition works with public officials,
reports data and research on a wide range of adolescent health issues and
conducts training programs for those working directly with teens. This year
the coalition is focusing on adolescent males.

"Apart from the efforts by the coalition, there have not been many programs
that focus on the high school male," said DuRant, who is also a board member
of the coalition. "Most of the sex education is targeted to females and is
knowledge-based as opposed to using a skills building approach. For example,
we need to teach children about certain high-risk behaviors, but we also
need to teach them how to effectively communicate and negotiate their way
out of a dangerous situation. We also need to teach them how to avoid the
situation in the first place. Just providing knowledge-based education does
not have a positive effect on reducing high-risk behaviors."

Other data in the report showed:

*       In 1995, 18.3 percent of males who had drunk alcohol 10 or more
times in the previous 30 days had been involved in a pregnancy, compared to
3.4 percent of males who did not drink.
*       In 1995, between 33.3 and 67.7 percent of males with two or more
suicide attempts in the previous year had also been involved in a pregnancy.

*       In 1995, between 16 and 26.3 percent of males who smoked marijuana
20 one or more times in the previous 30 days reported past pregnancy
involvement.
*       In 1997, 16.9 percent of males who had smoked cigarettes on 10 or
more of the previous 30 days had also been involved in a pregnancy.

"The data show that there is a 38 percent increase in male pregnancy
involvement from 1995 to 1997," DuRant said. "This reinforces to me that we
need to work with the whole teen, addressing all key problem behaviors to be
successful in reducing pregnancy and overall teen high-risk behaviors."

###

Media Contact: Rae Beasley (336) 716-6878 or Jim Steele (336) 716-3487.


=======================
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