WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Results of a needs-assessment questionnaire, distributed jointly by Sturgis Hospital and Three Rivers Health, have been released.
The fifth of five fields focuses on maternal and infant health.
According to the St. Joseph County 2012 Community Health Needs Assessment, issues associated with teen pregnancies, teen births and poor birth outcomes ranked in the top five health concerns. More than half of community respondents indicated that teen births and teen pregnancies were a major concern.
According to the study, 41 percent of St. Joseph County’s high school students report having had sexual intercourse. Of those, 22 percent report that their first partner was three or more
years older.
In 2011, St. Joseph County’s teen birth rate of 34.6 per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 years ranked 52nd out of 83 counties.
In addition, Title X Family Planning services are not available in St. Joseph County.
