Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
Europe as a whole has massively lower teen births than the US.
Europe as a whole has massively lower teen births than the US.
Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as 12
- Thread starter Josh Kelton
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Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
1996 is old enough as to be difficult to compare to current trends.
1996 data was probably collected anytime between 1993 and 1996.
It ignores the impact of: Welfare reform in the US, a generation's worth of abstinence-focused sex ed by federal mandate, changing societal attitudes (it's horribly anecdotal, but kids (cousins and the like, friends' siblings) seem more conservative today than when I was 13, in...1996-ish. (I'm a december baby, so it gets hard to place me in a year.)), and so forth. Neither, on the Swiss side, does it account for immigration and the like. When it comes to very societally-linked things like teen pregnancy, it's hard enough to get accurate data for one country. Comparing it across countries is harder still (so many ways to massage/torture the statistics). Using 14+-year old data is a bad idea, Rii.
(For what it's worth, I recall an Eeconomist article on the topic of more recent vintage reporting European rates going up, even as US rates went down. US rates have since edged up again, so.)
1996 is old enough as to be difficult to compare to current trends.
1996 data was probably collected anytime between 1993 and 1996.
It ignores the impact of: Welfare reform in the US, a generation's worth of abstinence-focused sex ed by federal mandate, changing societal attitudes (it's horribly anecdotal, but kids (cousins and the like, friends' siblings) seem more conservative today than when I was 13, in...1996-ish. (I'm a december baby, so it gets hard to place me in a year.)), and so forth. Neither, on the Swiss side, does it account for immigration and the like. When it comes to very societally-linked things like teen pregnancy, it's hard enough to get accurate data for one country. Comparing it across countries is harder still (so many ways to massage/torture the statistics). Using 14+-year old data is a bad idea, Rii.
(For what it's worth, I recall an Eeconomist article on the topic of more recent vintage reporting European rates going up, even as US rates went down. US rates have since edged up again, so.)
Rii
Rear Admiral
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
Ok, because I'm a sucker:
The CDC has the US teenage birth rate per 1000 15-19 year olds in 2007 pegged at 42.5. Note that this is a slightly different metric than that used by UNICEF measure, in that births to women below 15 years of age are not included in the overall rate. Even ignoring this, it's clear that birth rates remain in the same ballpark as in 1996. Indeed, per the CDC link the teenage birth rate has actually gone up the last two years running.
As for Switzerland, this 2009 article (ironically raising the question of whether Swiss children receive enough sex education) has Switzerland's teenage birth rate pegged at 4 per 1000 15-19yr olds. No source or date is given for the data, but it does also cite a US rate of 42, which puts it in line with CDC's 2007 data and can reasonably be assumed to come from the same era. Anyone able to find a more concrete source is welcome to do so.
1996: 5.5 vs. 52
~2007: 4 vs. 42.5
All much of a muchness really.
In principle I agree, but pregnancy rates are not something radically altered overnight, and the United States has hardly undergone the kind of transformation that, say, the Soviet Union did. In any case more recent figures seem to tell much the same story.
Ok, because I'm a sucker:
The CDC has the US teenage birth rate per 1000 15-19 year olds in 2007 pegged at 42.5. Note that this is a slightly different metric than that used by UNICEF measure, in that births to women below 15 years of age are not included in the overall rate. Even ignoring this, it's clear that birth rates remain in the same ballpark as in 1996. Indeed, per the CDC link the teenage birth rate has actually gone up the last two years running.
As for Switzerland, this 2009 article (ironically raising the question of whether Swiss children receive enough sex education) has Switzerland's teenage birth rate pegged at 4 per 1000 15-19yr olds. No source or date is given for the data, but it does also cite a US rate of 42, which puts it in line with CDC's 2007 data and can reasonably be assumed to come from the same era. Anyone able to find a more concrete source is welcome to do so.
1996: 5.5 vs. 52
~2007: 4 vs. 42.5
All much of a muchness really.
In principle I agree, but pregnancy rates are not something radically altered overnight, and the United States has hardly undergone the kind of transformation that, say, the Soviet Union did. In any case more recent figures seem to tell much the same story.
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Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
We Americans are such whores.
We Americans are such whores.
Rii
Rear Admiral
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
I was waiting for that. Because a pregnant woman can't become more pregnant, but can continue to engage in sexual intercourse, pregnancy is less than a linear function of sexual intercourse, i.e. to account for the 10:1 ratio between US and Swiss teenage birth rates by sexual promiscuity alone, American teenagers would have to be significantly more than ten times as sexually active as Swiss teenagers.
Yeah, I took it seriously. What can I say, I like statistics.
I was waiting for that. Because a pregnant woman can't become more pregnant, but can continue to engage in sexual intercourse, pregnancy is less than a linear function of sexual intercourse, i.e. to account for the 10:1 ratio between US and Swiss teenage birth rates by sexual promiscuity alone, American teenagers would have to be significantly more than ten times as sexually active as Swiss teenagers.
Yeah, I took it seriously. What can I say, I like statistics.
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
And in other news, teens have more access to condoms in the U.S. What has that done to prevent teen pregnancies? Just sayin'.
And in other news, teens have more access to condoms in the U.S. What has that done to prevent teen pregnancies? Just sayin'.
Rii
Rear Admiral
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
Actually, according to this CDC fact sheet, teenage pregnancies in the United States declined nearly 40% from 1990 to 2004. The CDC attributes this to a declining proportion of 15-17yr olds having sex and increased use of contraception. The CDC similarly attributes recent increases in teenage pregnancy rates to a plateau in contraception usage.
Incidentally, it's important to distinguish between pregnancies and births. A change in the birth rate doesn't necessarily imply a change in the pregnancy rate, and vice versa. Strictly speaking a change in the pregnancy rate doesn't necessarily reflect behavioural changes either, but I think we can rule out a Children of Men scenario for the moment.
Actually, according to this CDC fact sheet, teenage pregnancies in the United States declined nearly 40% from 1990 to 2004. The CDC attributes this to a declining proportion of 15-17yr olds having sex and increased use of contraception. The CDC similarly attributes recent increases in teenage pregnancy rates to a plateau in contraception usage.
Incidentally, it's important to distinguish between pregnancies and births. A change in the birth rate doesn't necessarily imply a change in the pregnancy rate, and vice versa. Strictly speaking a change in the pregnancy rate doesn't necessarily reflect behavioural changes either, but I think we can rule out a Children of Men scenario for the moment.
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
They don't have THAT much more access and as stated the birth rate has gone down. Plus, with so many people promoting abstinence only education many students are still not getting the information they need.
They don't have THAT much more access and as stated the birth rate has gone down. Plus, with so many people promoting abstinence only education many students are still not getting the information they need.
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
What more does one need to know than, "Get her drunk and take her to a motel"?
What more does one need to know than, "Get her drunk and take her to a motel"?
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
"Don't tell her your name."
"Don't tell her your name."
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
Or do like a guy I knew in the Navy would do when in the Philippines: "My name? It's Rico Suave!"
Or do like a guy I knew in the Navy would do when in the Philippines: "My name? It's Rico Suave!"
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
Say, "I would prefer you wait a few years, but, if you are planning on having sex, be smart and use a condom."
Handing out condoms isn't enabling kids, having genitals and entering puberty is.
Say, "I would prefer you wait a few years, but, if you are planning on having sex, be smart and use a condom."
Handing out condoms isn't enabling kids, having genitals and entering puberty is.
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
That's good to hear.
I went through puberty just fine but didn't lose it. Neither did countless people. It's about making a good decision or sound judgment based on one's knowledge, values, and priorities.
That's good to hear.
I went through puberty just fine but didn't lose it. Neither did countless people. It's about making a good decision or sound judgment based on one's knowledge, values, and priorities.
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
True, but, like I said earlier, if you ask kids why they aren't having sex, the answer will either be the one you gave or because they didn't find a willing partner.
Let's put it this way. If you had a condom, would you have acted differently?
True, but, like I said earlier, if you ask kids why they aren't having sex, the answer will either be the one you gave or because they didn't find a willing partner.
Let's put it this way. If you had a condom, would you have acted differently?
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
Condom or no condom back in those days, I still would've stayed on the path of chastity.
Granted, I was quite religious growing up and wanted to wait until I got married (but that's not gonna happen now!). I imagine most guys my age back in high school wanted so much to get laid, but I couldn't say the same for everyone else. And for those who did, it was wise for them to use protection. I had a girl classmate in twelfth grade who got pregnant with her boyfriend, just months before graduation.
Condom or no condom back in those days, I still would've stayed on the path of chastity.
Granted, I was quite religious growing up and wanted to wait until I got married (but that's not gonna happen now!). I imagine most guys my age back in high school wanted so much to get laid, but I couldn't say the same for everyone else. And for those who did, it was wise for them to use protection. I had a girl classmate in twelfth grade who got pregnant with her boyfriend, just months before graduation.
Re: Swiss government produces extra small condoms for boys as young as
True, and I have no problem with 15 or older kids doing it. (And to think most teens nowadays are supposed to be more conservative? Really?) It's the younger, more little ones I'm concerned about.
True, and I have no problem with 15 or older kids doing it. (And to think most teens nowadays are supposed to be more conservative? Really?) It's the younger, more little ones I'm concerned about.