Written Answers - Health Education.
Helen Keogh
Question:
28
Ms Keogh
asked the
Minister for Health
the concerns, if any, he has regarding the level of births to young, unmarried women; if, in view of the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women, he would develop a programme, together with the Department of Education, to give young people, male and female, a sense of personal autonomy and responsibility in relationships which would be complemented in a targeted health promotion unit campaign where girls would be given an appreciation of the opportunities foregone through early unplanned pregnancy and boys the responsibilities of parenthood and need to share responsibility for contraception; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12045/95]
Helen Keogh
Question:
31
Ms Keogh
asked the
Minister for Health
if he will implement the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that health boards in association with health promotion units would develop strategies through the community care programme designed to contact and provide early school-leavers with support and advice on sex education, relationships and parenting; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12046/95]
Limerick East): I intend to take Questions Nos. 28 and 31 together. The recently published discussion document on developing a policy for women's health draws attention to the level of teenage pregnancies.
In 1993 there were 2,637 births to women under 20, of which 57 were under 15 years of age. While the total number of births to teenagers has been falling, the number of births to single, teenage mothers has been rising. Only 9 per cent of births to teenagers in 1993 were to married women, compared to 60 per cent in 1980. The increase in births to teenage single mothers is a matter for concern. The document suggests that a multi faceted programme is needed to educate young people, both male and female, in more responsible attitudes to sexual activity and relationships and about the responsibilities of parenting.
On the question of co-operation with the Department of Education in this matter, the present position is that representatives of my Department at the invitation of the Department of Education are working to identify health education initiatives currently under way with a view to further development and dissemination of good practice in the context of relationships and sexuality education. It is a matter for the Minister for Education, in the first instance, to consider appropriate programmes for introduction in the schools setting.
With regard to initiatives within my own area of responsibility, I am satisfied that many efforts are being made to tackle the problem of births to young unmarried women. Under Section 8 of the Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Act, 1992 and Article 2 of the Health (Family Planning) Regulations, 1992, health boards are responsible for the provision of a comprehensive family planning service.
My Department's Health Promotion Unit has provided a grant to the Eastern Health Board to develop a pilot programme to reduce teenage pregnancies. The programme has been developed by public health doctors on the staff of the board, in conjunction with teachers and parents. The present position with regard to the programme is that it has been extended in the pilot area and that the recommendations of the report on the programme are being considered by my Department and the Department of Education in the context of the interdepartmental work to which I referred.
I intend to publish a national health promotion strategy shortly. The strategy will propose initiatives involving health boards with regard to sexually active people. There are already a number of programmes supported by my Department's Health Promotion Unit which address relationships and sexuality education in the context of a broad health education programme and these education programmes seek to promote responsibility in the area of sexual health.
However the challenge remains to ensure that all young people including early school leavers have access to appropriate information and education in the area of relationships and sexuality. It is also extremely important that those who are sexually active are aware that family planning advice is available and that they are encouraged to make use of family planning services.
