Most Religious State = State With Hightest Teen pregnancy rate (Mormon, abortion, Baptists)

[greenvillebuckeye]

Thats right for those that read this about a week or so ago Mississippi was ranked as the Most Religious State in the nation. Combine that with a more recent data ranking that lists Mississippi as the state with the highest teen pregnancy rate.

Now by itself those two variables together don't mean as much.

But....the state who has the lowest teen pregnancy rate...New Hampshire...also was ranked as the LEAST religious state in the nation.


Thoughts?

[nezlie]

This article ties the highest teen pregnancies to those states with abstinence-only policies. I think the lack of education about alternative methods for prevention of pregnancy makes more sense. It's possible that religion plays a role, especially if it is for suppressing sex education.

But 37 states require sex education that includes abstinence, 26 of which require that abstinence be stressed as the best method. Additionally, research shows that abstinence-only strategies could deter contraceptive use among teenagers, thus increasing their risk of unintended pregnancy.

For example, take the states with the highest and lowest teen pregnancy rates. Mississippi does not require sex education in schools, but when it is taught, abstinence-only education is the state standard. New Mexico, which has the second highest teen birth rate, does not require sex ed and has no requirements on what should be included when it is taught. New Hampshire, on the other hand, requires comprehensive sex education in schools that includes abstinence and information about condoms and contraception.

Teen Pregnancies Highest In States With Abstinence-Only Policies | ThinkProgress

[Vejadu]

Mississippi has the highest teen birth rate, not highest pregnancy rate. Nevada and New Mexico actually rank higher in teen pregnancy. Mississippi has the highest black percentage in the country, who are more than twice as likely than whites to be pregnant teens (as are hispanics). Consider that the teen pregnancy rate of Washington DC is actually double that of Mississippi, where the black percentage is 60% compared to just under 40% in MS.

Moderator cut: delete

The solution seems to be better education, primarily among black and hispanic teens. Abstinence should absolutely be taught and promoted as the safest option, but abstinence-only is an absolutely terrible idea.

[Thomas R.]

Religious people are, and yes they really are this is going to ruin a cherished illusion, less likely to use abortion to avoid a teen birth.

Also much of this is Baptists and Pentecostals. Baptists and Pentecostals go through flying/falling phases in their religion. In falling periods they maybe do reckless things. Utah's rate of teen pregnancy is the sixth best. Teen birth is comparatively worse as they don't abort so much. Utah is a pretty religious state, but religiously Mormon. North Dakota is average or slightly above average in religiosity and the fifth lowest in teen-pregnancy. It's fairly Lutheran and Catholic. Also Michigan has a fair percent black and it's in the bottom half for teen pregnancy so it's not a simple race matter.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...9VB4Z2dZR_rZxw

I believe all the heavily Baptist states are high in teen pregnancy. Although this could be coincidental as these states are also often poor. Poor people sometimes feel a need for what pleasures they can afford, including sex.

[Asheville Native]

The willful ignorance of fundy christians demanding that abstinence only be taught to our kids and the predictable results.

Yet another example of the dangers of willful ignorance.

[Thomas R.]

Well I was maybe a tad unfair. The following states have a fairly high percent of Baptists, but a below-average rate of teen pregnancy. (Listed by percent Baptist so Kentucky is over twice as Baptist as neighboring Indiana)

Kentucky
Virginia
West Virginia
Missouri
Maryland
Indiana
Kansas
Michigan

While Louisiana was average for teen pregnancy, but fairly Baptist.

Largest Communities: Baptists

Of those above Kentucky was the most Baptist, as I indicated, and the most religious.

Mississippi Is Most Religious U.S. State

Although it's teen pregnancy rate was near average. Kansas had the lowest teen-pregnancy rate of the above, though I don't know if it's more Baptist than average. It is more religious than average though with 45% describing themselves as "very religious" compared to 40% for US average. South Dakota, not on Baptist list, was equally high in religiosity and eleventh best in teen pregnancy rate.

[Asheville Native]

Teen pregnancy rates



The bible belt



Any questions?

[brightdoglover]

I suppose in those religious states there might be a higher rate of teen marriages with pregnancy in there, like the 1950s.
In some societal areas (poor black/Hispanic) it is not viewed as unusual or bad to give birth in one's teens, married or not. Unfortunately, the greatest indicator of when a girl will give birth is the age at which her mother first gave birth, even if mother insists "Don't do what I did." That's not only among poor people, either.

[robertpolyglot]

These studies are NEVER a surprise. These "trivia tidbit" polls made great fodder on USA Today...and now on news homepages.

Mississippi and adjacent states, and Nevada, suffer from some of the worst QOL indicators ... and I don't know how that ties to its religious beliefs. I think it stems from the nature of the industries, or lack of industries, in those states. Does high humidity contribute to lust? They say the stifling humid heat correlates to a high murder rate (NOLA, JAX, MEM, etc.)

Again, no surprise that the Upper Midwest and Mid Atlantic/New England have some of the best QOL indicators, though NOT the best weather. Is it the liberal attitudes or the prevalence of Catholics? Just kidding. The Lutherans give the Catholics a run for their money in the Upper Midwest.

[mikemike84]

with whites it seems religion matters more with birthrate, with blacks it dont. In fact im willing to say if a black women doesnt have a kid by the age 25, she probably not going too.