Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2007
National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, May 2, 2007: Teens Nationwide Take Online Quiz
Sex is always an awkward topic of discussion for parents and teens. Parents want to convey their values to their children, help them make the right decisions and keep them safe from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, but are often hesitant to broach the subject because of embarrassment. To help parents with their efforts, the Knox Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (KAPPI) and the Knox County Health Department is urging families to take an online quiz together during National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on Wed, May 2.
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy organized the National Day to focus the attention of teens on the importance of avoiding too-early pregnancy and parenthood. On the National Day, teens nationwide are asked to go to www.teenpregnancy.org and take a short, scenario-based "quiz" that asks young people what they would do in a number of sexual situations. Parents can take this opportunity to discuss family values with their teenagers.
"Taking the online quiz together is a way for parents and teens to break the ice about a tough topic," said Cynthia Hudson, KAPPI coordinator for the Knox County Health Department. "Then they can discuss the quiz's message, which is: Sex has consequences."
The online quiz (available in English and Spanish) delivers this message directly to teens and challenges them to think carefully about what they might do "in the moment." Real-life scenarios presented in the National Day quiz help them think about what they would do in similar situations. The simple and direct message of the quiz is: sex is serious, have a plan.
Why a National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy? Despite hitting the lowest level in 30 years, 31% of teenage girls get pregnant at least once before they reach age 20. Many teens say they are concerned about pregnancy, but still think "it can't happen to me." But it does - to 750,000 girls every year. And the number one reason teen guys and girls give for not using protection is that they weren't planning to have sex and that it "just happened." The online quiz is designed to help teens come up with their own plans for avoiding pregnancy.
Over 800,000 individuals took the National Day Quiz in 2006. A survey of the some of the teens that participated in the 2006 National Day indicates:
- 83% said the Quiz made them think about what they might do in such situations;
- 69% said the Quiz made the risks of sex and teen pregnancy seem more real to them;
- 59% said they'd talk to their friends about the situations described in the Quiz; and
- 58% said the Quiz made them think about things they hadn't thought about before.
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization supported largely by private donations. The Campaign's mission is to improve the well-being of children, youth, and families by reducing teen pregnancy. Their goal is to reduce the rate of teen pregnancy by one-third between 2006 and 2015.
The Knox County Health Department is committed to promoting public health practices that safeguard and improve quality of life for all residents. The Health Department offers an array of services ranging from medical and dental care, disease control, emergency preparedness, air quality management, environmental services, food preparation oversight in public places, special programs for women with children and much more. For more information on the Knox County Health Department, visit their Web site at www.knoxcounty.org/health/index.php.
NOTE: The 2007 Quiz will not be available until May 2. Last year's Quiz is available at www.teenpregancy.org, click on National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and scroll down to the 2006 Quiz at the bottom of the list on the right side.
