Teenage Sexual and Reproductive Behavior in the United States

The Changing Face of Teen Sexual Activity and Unplanned Pregnancy

Over the past two decades, the pregnancy rate among sexually experienced teenage girls aged 15-19 has declined by 19%, indicating that many are doing a better job at using contraception. But, because the percentage of teens who have had sex has been steadily increasing at the same time, in real terms, the problem of teen pregnancy is getting worse. In addition, as of the late 1980s, a higher proportion of teenage girls who get pregnant are giving birth and, over the last three decades, dramatically fewer are getting married when they become teen mothers, resulting in more children in households with single teen mothers.

Sexual Activity

• The proportion of 15- 19-year-old girls who are sexually active rose from 47% in 1982 to 55% in 1990.
• Fifty-six percent of teenage girls and 73% of teenage boys today have had sexual intercourse by their18th birthday. In the early 1970s, 35% of girls and 55% of boys had had sex by that age.
• Most very young teenage boys and girls have not had intercourse — 84% of 13-year-olds, 77% of 14-year-olds and 70% of 15-year-olds.
• While the likelihood of having intercourse increases steadily with age, 1 in 5 teenagers do not have intercourse during their teenage years.
• Seven in 10 girls who had sex before age 14 and 6 in 10 of those who had sex before age 15 report having sex involuntarily.
• Most teenagers begin having intercourse in their mid-to-late teens, about 8 years before they marry.
• Among the most common reasons teens have sex, according to 55% of teens, is that “they think they’re ready.”
• Six out of ten teenage girls say another reason why teen girls may have sex is because a boyfriend is pressuring them.

Contraceptive Use

• Five out of ten (48%) teens say they use birth control “all the time,” an additional 24% say they use it “most of the time,” and 15% say they use it “sometimes.” Only 11% of sexually active teens say they never use birth control, approximately the same percentage as sexually active adults who don’t.
• The contraceptive most frequently used by teens is the condom (44%), followed by birth control pills (40%). One-quarter of the teenagers who use the pill also use the condom.
• Two-thirds of teenagers use some contraceptive method — usually a condom — the first time they have intercourse.
• Teenage girls’ birth control use at first intercourse rose from 48% to 65% during the 1980s, almost entirely because of a doubling in condom use (from 23% to 48%).
• A sexually active teenage girl using no contraception over one year has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

• Three million teenagers — about 1 in 4 sexually experienced teenagers — acquire an STD every year.
• In a single act of unprotected sex with an infected partner, a woman has a 1% risk of acquiring HIV, a 30% risk of getting genital herpes, and a 50% chance of contracting gonorrhea.
• Chlamydia is more common among teenagers than among older men and women; in some studies, up to 30% of sexually active teenage girls and 10% of teenage boys tested for STDs have been found to have chlamydia.
• Teenagers have higher rates of gonorrhea than sexually active men and women aged 20-44. In some studies, up to 15% of sexually active teenage girls have been found to be infected with HPV, the virus that causes genital warts, many with a strain of this virus linked with cervical cancer.
• By the end of 1995, there were more than 2,300 teenagers known to have AIDS.
• Teens are worried about getting AIDS or other STDs. Four out of ten teens say they worry at least some about getting AIDS someday or another STD.

Teenage Pregnancy

• About one million teenage girls — 11% of all girls aged 15-19 (112 per 1,000) and 20% of those who have had sexual intercourse (204 per 1,000) — become pregnant each year.
• Eighty-five percent of teenage pregnancies are unplanned, accounting for one-quarter of all unplanned pregnancies each year.
• Fifty-four percent of teenage pregnancies each year (960,000 in 1992) end in birth (most of which are unplanned); about one-third end in abortion (32%) and the rest in miscarriage (14%).
• Among sexually experienced teenagers, about 16% of 14-year-olds, 17% of 15- 17-year-olds and 23% of 18- 19-year-olds become pregnant each year.
• Teenage pregnancy rates are much higher in the United States than in many other developed countries — twice as high as in England and Wales, France and Canada; and 9 times as high as in the Netherlands or Japan.
• Of all births to U.S. women, 13% are to teenagers.
• Twenty percent of U.S. abortions each year are to teenagers.
• A majority of teens (55%) say when teens have unplanned pregnancies, it’s “often” a result of having sex when drunk or on drugs. Forty-six percent say it’s “often” because teens have sex when they don’t have birth control with them.

Sources of Data:

The data in this fact sheet are from research conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, the National Center for Health Statistics, and/or were published in Family Planning Perspectives.

For More Information:

Kaiser Family Foundation Survey on Teens and Sex: What They Say Teens Today Need to Know, And Who They Listen To,1996.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sex and America’s Teenagers, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1994.

Testing Positive: Sexually Transmitted Disease and the Public Health Response, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1993.

The Entertainment Media as “Sex Educators?”

And, Other Ways Teens Learn About Sex, Contraception, STDs, and AIDS

June 24, 1996

What Sources Do Teenagers Rely on for Information About Sex and Birth Control?

According to a 1996 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of teens, teens say they currently get information about sex and birth control from a variety of sources including: their parents (72%); teachers, school nurses, or sex education classes (69%); their friends (other than boy/girlfriends) (60%); and the media, such as TV shows or movies (53%) and magazines (39%).

What Media Are Teens Exposed To?

In today’s “information age,” teens are bombarded with information from many media sources. Television and music are among those most popular with teens. According to one study, the average teen spends more time watching television than doing any other activity besides sleeping (Davies, 1993). As teens get older, however, they show a growing preference for music over TV (Arnett, 1992; Larson, Kubey, & Colletti, 1989). In one focus group study, 11-15 year-olds listened to music four hours a day as a primary activity (not including as background music), compared to three hours a day of watching TV (Liming, 1987). The Kaiser Teen Survey also found that seventy percent of teenage girls say they “regularly” read magazines, particularly those targeted to them such as Seventeen, YM, and Teen.

To What Extent Do These Media Deal With Sex and Related Issues, Such as Contraception, STDs, and AIDS?

A study that looked at TV shows most popular among those under 17 during the 1992-1993 broadcast season found that one in four interactions among characters per episode conveyed a sexual message. In three weeks of programming studied, only two of the ten shows included messages about sexual responsibility (Ward, 1995). Two Kaiser Family Foundation studies also found high rates of sexual references and incidents with few mentions of adverse consequences in soap operas and TV talk shows. (Comparatively fewer studies have been done of print media coverage of sexuality issues, although the Kaiser Family Foundation currently has a study underway to look at the coverage in special interest magazines, such as those targeted to women, men, and teens).

Do the Media Have an Impact on Teenagers’ Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Sex?

One of the issues at the crux of the debate over sex in the media is to what extent the media affects teens’ attitudes and behaviors related to sex. After reviewing the existing research about impact of the media on behavior, Jane Brown and Jeanne Steele at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both experts on the media and sexuality, concluded that in response to the question of whether the media might affect teens’ sexual behaviors, the answer is a “qualified yes.” “Qualified” because research on the effects of sex in the media is sparse and because it is very difficult to document the effects of media on people’s behavior. However, based on what is known about the effects of sexual media content, along with the larger body of research on the effect of the media on violence and anti-social behavior, they found that entertainment media do play an important role in shaping American youths’ sexual beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. (From a study prepared for the Kaiser Family Foundation entitled Sex and Mass Media).

In the Kaiser Teen Survey, three-quarters of teens say they think portrayals of teen sex on television and in the movies is one of several possible factors affecting teen sexual activity. There is also evidence that the media can be used effectively to increase awareness and knowledge about reproductive and sexual health issues and possibly to change behavior toward reducing unplanned pregnancy and HIV and other STD infection rates.

What Teenage Pregnancy and STD Prevention Approaches Appear to Have Had a Positive Effect on Risk-Taking Behavior?

Many wide-ranging attempts have been made to affect teenage sexual and reproductive behavior but many of these programs have not been rigorously evaluated. Although numerous studies have attempted to measure the effectiveness of teenage pregnancy intervention programs, scientific research has not yet provided definitive answers about their success. However, much has been learned from the experiences of the few pregnancy prevention programs that have been designed and implemented with a rigorous, scientific evaluation component. A recent review by The Alan Guttmacher Institute of the impact of five rigorously evaluated adolescent pregnancy prevention programs shows that some intervention programs are successful in helping teenagers delay intercourse, and improving contraceptive use among teenagers who are sexually active. Furthermore, some programs can effectively combine an emphasis on delaying sexual activity with education regarding contraception. The most effective programs appear to be those that combine innovative, comprehensive sexuality education; skills for making decisions about having intercourse and for communicating with partners; and access to family planning services. Measuring the impact of community programs on sexual behavior and pregnancy rates is very difficult for several reasons including the lack of information on rates of sexual activity and birth control use at the local level.

What is “Entertainment-Education”? And, How is it Being Used?

International reproductive health organizations have long used mass media entertainment for educational purposes in some developing countries. Entertainment-education involves presenting educational content in entertaining formats with the primary goal of increasing knowledge. Mass media’s pervasiveness allows it to reach a large number of people, sending messages repeatedly in a variety of forms. Television soap operas/dramas and films are widely used in entertainment-education. Radio is also used widely because of its relatively low production cost, accessability and extensive reach. However, assessing the impact of such programs is complex — usually done with pre- and post-intervention surveys; comparison of exposed and non-exposed groups; and tracking of clinic data. Though it is unclear whether entertainment-education changes behavior, it has been proven to be an effective way to increase knowledge and awareness about an issue. Evaluations have demonstrated positive results in terms of increased knowledge about HIV transmission and the need for family planning, and increases in visits to local family planning clinics. Setting up such programs is easier outside the U.S. for a number of reasons, including less competition on the airways.

Here in the United States, there have also been some recent efforts by individuals within the entertainment industry to improve the way in which sex and its possible consequences are portrayed. A significant difference is that these efforts involve changes made to programming that is meant to be entertaining, and not meant specifically to be educational. A few examples of such efforts include:

• Following a summit of soap opera producers and writers which highlighted the lack of portrayals of the consequences of sexual behavior on soap operas two years ago, three top-rated daytime dramas, “General Hospital,” “One Life to Live,” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” adopted story lines on teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS (Olson, 1994).

• MEE (Motivational Educational Entertainment) Productions produced an educational video targeted at inner city youth “at risk” of dropping out of school. The program uses high profile rap artists including KRS One, Public Enemy, and Black Sheep, along with interviews with teens, to encourage youth to stay in school and graduate.
• “ER,” a popular Prime Time drama, has focused several episodes on issues related to teen sexuality and reproductive health. One episode dealt with a 14 year old girl who had a positive pregnancy test and didn’t want her mother to know the results. Another episode showed “Dr. Ross” awkwardly dealing with a gay high school athlete.

What is the “V-Chip”? And, What Role are Government and Others Likely to Have in Addressing the Media’s Portrayal of Sex and Related Issues?

After much debate and numerous revisions, a telecommunications bill (S 652) was enacted by Congress on February 8, 1996. While the legislation focuses on de-regulation to promote competition among cable television and telephone services, it also introduces restrictions on sexual and violent content on television and the Internet. The law mandates a ratings system that would use a “V-chip” or equivalent technology to allow parents to screen out material they do not want their children to watch. Under this new law, the V-chip must be installed in all new TV sets with screens larger than 13 inches, as of January 1998. The law also mandates that a federally designed, voluntary ratings system be implemented by February 1997 if a satisfactory ratings system isn’t already in place — giving the entertainment industry a year to set up its own rating system. Since talks began March 1, the industry has agreed that each entertainment program will be rated by its distributor (the network or independent station carrying the program) and guidelines will be put in place to ensure consistency across networks.

Several issues surrounding the ratings system remain unresolved, particularly in regard to the forms ratings will take, and the logistical challenges of rating all relevant programming. For example, excluding news and sports programs which won’t be rated, the industry would need to rate an overwhelming 100,000 hours of programming per year — as compared to the 1,200 hours of film the Motion Picture Association of America rates each year. Some believe using a letter or number rating system may prove to be impractical and think a content description would be more effective. Another suggestion is that a single rating be assigned to each series for an entire season, while assigning different ratings to especially “objectionable” episodes. The biggest challenge may be defining the ratings for particular actions or behaviors and differentiating jokes from “responsible” discussions of topics such as teen pregnancy.

Is Contraceptive Product Advertising Restricted in the U.S.?

Although there are no laws or government regulations prohibiting contraceptive advertising in the United States, several major obstacles hinder contraceptive advertising, including: some FDA restrictions on prescription drug advertising, inconsistent efforts by advertisers, and fear of public disapproval and reprisal. While the public supports advertising of family planning methods, the minority opinion has prevailed in the decisions that broadcast media, and to some degree, print media have made regarding contraceptive advertising policies.

Television and radio. The broadcast media have historically resisted the advertising of contraceptive products, and through its National Association of Broadcasters until 1982 had a code on programming and advertising. Although the television networks ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC continue to reject contraceptive advertising, all networks have relaxed their ban on condom advertising in public service announcements as long as those commercials emphasize the prevention of disease and not pregnancy prevention.

Newspapers and Magazines. The print media do not face the same sort of industry self­regulation as the broadcast media. Yet, until the 1980s, magazines and newspapers also resisted contraceptive advertisements seemingly due to perceived public disapproval of such advertising. Magazines now generally are open to contraceptive advertising, with the women’s magazines taking the lead. Newspapers, however, generally will not give space to public service advertising and only recently (in the wake of the AIDS epidemic) have accepted advertisements that promote condoms for disease prevention.

The Advertisers. Commercial companies, particularly the condom manufacturers, have attempted to conduct advertising campaigns. The campaigns for prescription contraceptives, however, have been limited efforts, directed mostly to the print media.

The Public. In one of the few studies of public attitudes toward contraceptive advertising on television conducted by Louis Harris and Associates in the late 1980s, it was shown that a majority of Americans believe that television stations should be permitted to advertise contraceptive products. In fact, the study found that there was more support for contraceptive advertising (53% in favor) than there was for beer and wine advertising (45% in favor). Eight of 10 Americans believed that advertising on television would encourage more teenagers to use contraceptives, and more than three-quarters of all adults felt that if teenagers saw television stars they admire use birth control, that they would be more likely to use it themselves. Seven of 10 people said that they would not be offended by contraceptive advertising. In a parallel study, Harris and Associates surveyed 259 television station managers about the same issue. Seven of 10 station managers believed that commercials for contraceptives would offend many people; however, more than seven of 10 also said that stations should air these commercials if they do not cause offense.

A fact sheet, Q&A and resource list prepared for a briefing held for journalists in New York City on December 18, 1997 in New York City as part of a joint program by The Alan Guttmacher Institute, The Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Press Foundation. This program focused on efforts to break through barriers to emergency contraception, as well as future opportunities for expanding access. New surveys conducted for the Kaiser Family Foundation of American women and men, and obstetrician/gynecologists, family practice physicians, as well as, nurse practitioners and physician assistants on emergency contraception are available separately as package #1352.

Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception

The 1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception examined public knowledge and attitudes regarding unplanned pregnancy and contraception, with a particular focus on emergency contraceptive pills. The survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates for Kaiser Family Foundation, consisted of telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1000 women and 300 men aged 18 to 44 years old living in telephone households in the continental United States. The interviews were conducted from May 13, 1997 through June 8, 1997. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent for the national sample, plus or minus 3 percent for women, and plus or minus 6 percent for men.

The surveyors called back potential respondents 15 times before removing them from the sample, achieving a response rate of 59 percent. Averaging 15 minutes in length, all interviews were conducted by female interviewers. Respondents were told they would be participating in “a confidential national opinion survey about some important health issues.” Of those who agreed to be interviewed, 6 percent (89 people) terminated the interview before it was completed. The analyses reported here weight the data to be proportional to the actual U.S. population’s demographic characteristics with respect to gender, race, age, income and educational attainment.

The 1995 Kaiser Survey on Public Knowledge and Attitudes on Contraception and Unplanned Pregnancy, conducted by Louis Harris Associates for Kaiser Family Foundation, examined public knowledge and attitudes regarding the magnitude and scope of unplanned pregnancy and various contraceptive options, including emergency contraceptive pills. The national random sample consisted of 2,002 adults, 18 years of age and older, and was conducted between October 12 and November 13, 1994. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent for Americans 18-44, plus or minus 4 percent for women 18-44, and plus or minus 4 percent for men 18-44.All interviews were matched for gender of the interviewer and respondent. The surveyors called back potential respondents four times before discarding them from the sample. Among 4,000 women and men contacted by telephone, 1,000 women and 1,002 men completed the survey, for an overall response rate of 50 percent. One hundred and eighty one individuals out of the 4,000 (4%) refused the survey outright, and 1868 (46%) terminated the interview before it was completed. The analyses reported here weight the data to be proportional to the actual U.S. population’s demographic characteristics with respect to gender, race, age, educational attainment, and health insurance status.

Survey of Health Care Providers on Emergency Contraception

The 1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Health Care Providers on Emergency Contraception was designed by Kaiser Family Foundation and Fact Finders, Inc. and conducted by Fact Finders, Inc. The national telephone survey, which included 754 women’s health care providers, including 305 obstetrician-gynecologists, 236 family practice physicians, and 229 nurse practitioners and physician assistants, examined knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding reproductive health services, with a focus on emergency contraception. Using three separate random probability samples, Fact Finders, Inc. drew nationally representative samples of obstetrician-gynecologists, family practice physicians and nurse practitioners from the American Medical Association Physicians Masterfile. Obstetrician-gynecologists and family practice physicians were drawn directly from the Masterfile, while the sample for nurse practitioners/physician assistants was drawn from a separate sample of obstetrician-gynecologist and family practice offices. The statistical sampling error associated with the overall findings based on a random probability sampling of 300 ranges from plus or minus 3.4 to plus or minus 5.7 percent (+/- 3.4-5.6% for Ob/Gyns, +/- 3.7-6.2% for family practice physicians, and +/- 3.7-6.2% for nurse practitioners and physician assistants). Fact Finders, Inc., contacted providers by phone and facsimile to schedule phone interviews which took place between March 5, and June 12, 1997. Health care providers were contacted up to 15 times before being discarded from the sample, with refusal rates of 18 percent for the obstetrician-gynecologists, 22 percent for the family practice physicians, and 2 percent for the nurse practitioners/physician assistants.

The 1995 survey was a national telephone survey of 307 obstetrician-gynecologists and 154 family practice physicians, examining knowledge and attitudes toward unplanned pregnancy and contraception, including emergency contraceptive pills. Fact Finders, Inc. drew separate nationally representative samples of obstetrician-gynecologists and family practice physicians from the American Medical Association Physicians’ Masterfile and contacted them by phone and facsimile to schedule phone interviews which took place between February 1 and March 21, 1995. Physicians were contacted up to 15 times before being discarded from the sample, with a refusal rate of 23 percent. The statistical sampling error associated with the overall findings based on a random probability sampling of 307 ranges from plus or minus 3.4 to plus or minus 5.7 percent for obstetrician-gynecologists and plus or minus 4.8 to plus or minus 8.0 percent for family practice physicians. The survey respondents mostly practiced in urban and suburban locations, in solo or single-specialty group practices, were men and were between the ages of 40 and 64. Those refusing to respond to the survey were similar to the respondents with respect to practice characteristics, age and gender patterns, and geographic diversity.

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Survey of Americans on Emergency ContraceptionSurvey Fact Sheet Q&A Resource List

1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception

Conducted for the Henry J. Kaiser Family FoundationBy Princeton Survey Research Associates

• Topline (pdf)

Methodology

Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception

The 1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception examined public knowledge and attitudes regarding unplanned pregnancy and contraception, with a particular focus on emergency contraceptive pills. The survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates for Kaiser Family Foundation, consisted of telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1000 women and 300 men aged 18 to 44 years old living in telephone households in the continental United States. The interviews were conducted from May 13, 1997 through June 8, 1997. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent for the national sample, plus or minus 3 percent for women, and plus or minus 6 percent for men.

The surveyors called back potential respondents 15 times before removing them from the sample, achieving a response rate of 59 percent. Averaging 15 minutes in length, all interviews were conducted by female interviewers. Respondents were told they would be participating in “a confidential national opinion survey about some important health issues.” Of those who agreed to be interviewed, 6 percent (89 people) terminated the interview before it was completed. The analyses reported here weight the data to be proportional to the actual U.S. population’s demographic characteristics with respect to gender, race, age, income and educational attainment.

The 1995 Kaiser Survey on Public Knowledge and Attitudes on Contraception and Unplanned Pregnancy, conducted by Louis Harris Associates for Kaiser Family Foundation, examined public knowledge and attitudes regarding the magnitude and scope of unplanned pregnancy and various contraceptive options, including emergency contraceptive pills. The national random sample consisted of 2,002 adults, 18 years of age and older, and was conducted between October 12 and November 13, 1994. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent for Americans 18-44, plus or minus 4 percent for women 18-44, and plus or minus 4 percent for men 18-44.

All interviews were matched for gender of the interviewer and respondent. The surveyors called back potential respondents four times before discarding them from the sample. Among 4,000 women and men contacted by telephone, 1,000 women and 1,002 men completed the survey, for an overall response rate of 50 percent. One hundred and eighty one individuals out of the 4,000 (4%) refused the survey outright, and 1868 (46%) terminated the interview before it was completed. The analyses reported here weight the data to be proportional to the actual U.S. population’s demographic characteristics with respect to gender, race, age, educational attainment, and health insurance status.

Survey of Health Care Providers on Emergency Contraception

The 1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Health Care Providers on Emergency Contraception was designed by Kaiser Family Foundation and Fact Finders, Inc. and conducted by Fact Finders, Inc. The national telephone survey, which included 754 women’s health care providers, including 305 obstetrician-gynecologists, 236 family practice physicians, and 229 nurse practitioners and physician assistants, examined knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding reproductive health services, with a focus on emergency contraception. Using three separate random probability samples, Fact Finders, Inc. drew nationally representative samples of obstetrician-gynecologists, family practice physicians and nurse practitioners from the American Medical Association Physicians Masterfile. Obstetrician-gynecologists and family practice physicians were drawn directly from the Masterfile, while the sample for nurse practitioners/physician assistants was drawn from a separate sample of obstetrician-gynecologist and family practice offices. The statistical sampling error associated with the overall findings based on a random probability sampling of 300 ranges from plus or minus 3.4 to plus or minus 5.7 percent (+/- 3.4-5.6% for Ob/Gyns, +/- 3.7-6.2% for family practice physicians, and +/- 3.7-6.2% for nurse practitioners and physician assistants). Fact Finders, Inc., contacted providers by phone and facsimile to schedule phone interviews which took place between March 5, and June 12, 1997. Health care providers were contacted up to 15 times before being discarded from the sample, with refusal rates of 18 percent for the obstetrician-gynecologists, 22 percent for the family practice physicians, and 2 percent for the nurse practitioners/physician assistants.

The 1995 survey was a national telephone survey of 307 obstetrician-gynecologists and 154 family practice physicians, examining knowledge and attitudes toward unplanned pregnancy and contraception, including emergency contraceptive pills. Fact Finders, Inc. drew separate nationally representative samples of obstetrician-gynecologists and family practice physicians from the American Medical Association Physicians’ Masterfile and contacted them by phone and facsimile to schedule phone interviews which took place between February 1 and March 21, 1995. Physicians were contacted up to 15 times before being discarded from the sample, with a refusal rate of 23 percent. The statistical sampling error associated with the overall findings based on a random probability sampling of 307 ranges from plus or minus 3.4 to plus or minus 5.7 percent for obstetrician-gynecologists and plus or minus 4.8 to plus or minus 8.0 percent for family practice physicians. The survey respondents mostly practiced in urban and suburban locations, in solo or single-specialty group practices, were men and were between the ages of 40 and 64. Those refusing to respond to the survey were similar to the respondents with respect to practice characteristics, age and gender patterns, and geographic diversity.

Now I have just a few background questions so we’ll know something about the people taking part in the survey…

51. I’m going to read you a list of things some people do about government or politics. Many people haven’t done any of these things. As I read each one, please tell me if this is something you have done in the past 12 months. (First,) in the past 12 months have you…(read and rotate)

Yes a. Contacted a member of Congress or a U.S. Senator 17 b. Attended a public meeting on town or school affairs 35 c. Worked in the campaign of a political candidate or party 6 d. Wrote a letter to a newspaper that was published 6 e. Been interviewed or quoted by the media about an important issue 7 f. Served as an officer of some club or organization 22 g. Served on a local committee, such as school board or community council 12 h. Made a public speech 12 i. Helped organize a group or event in support of a particular cause 19

D1. What is your religious preference? Are you Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, or some other religion?

D2. Do you consider yourself a Christian?

D3. Would you describe yourself as a born-again or evangelical Christian, or not?

63 Total Protestant/Christian 33 Evangelicals 27 Non-evangelicals 24 Roman Catholic 2 Jewish 5 Other religion 5 No religion/Atheist/Agnostic (vol.) 1 Don’t know/Refused 100

D4. In politics today, do you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat or Independent?

27 Republican 33 Democrat 30 Independent 1 Other Party (vol.) 5 No party (vol.) 2 Don’t know 2 Refused 100

D5. Would you say your views in most political matters are very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative, or very conservative?

6 Very liberal 21 Somewhat liberal 29 Moderate 26 Somewhat conservative 12 Very conservative 4 Don’t know 2 Refused 100

D6. What is the last grade or class that you completed in school? (Do not read)

3 None, or grade 1 to 8 12 High school incomplete (grade 9-11) 34 High school graduate 4 Business, technical or vocational school after high school 24 Some college, but no four-year degree 15 College graduate, four-year degree 8 Post-graduate or professional schooling after college * Don’t know/Refused 100

D7. How old are you?

24 18-29 43 30-49 18 50-64 15 65 or older 100

D8a. Are you of Hispanic or Latino background, such as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or some other Spanish background?

D8b. Is your background mainly Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or some other Hispanic or Latino nationality?

8 Total Hispanic/Latino background 4 Mexican 1 Puerto Rican * Cuban 3 Other/Mixed (vol.) 91 Not Hispanic/Latino 1 Don’t know/Refused 100

D9. What is your race? Are you white, black, Asian, or some other race?

83 White 11 Black or African-American 1 Asian 3 Other/mixed race (vol.) * Don’t know 2 Refused 100

D10. Last year, that is in 1996, what was your total family income from all sources, before taxes? Just stop me when I get to the right category.

9 Less than $10,000 12 $10,000 to under $20,000 10 $20,000 to under $25,000 10 $25,000 to under $30,000 15 $30,000 to under $40,000 9 $40,000 to under $50,000 14 $50,000 to under $75,000 11 $75,000 or more 4 Don’t know 6 Refused 100

I have just a few more questions. Let me remind you that this a completely confidential interview and that there are no right answers…

D11. In general, how comfortable would you be, personally, working with someone who has HIV — very comfortable, somewhat comfortable, somewhat uncomfortable, or very uncomfortable?

32 Very comfortable 33 Somewhat comfortable 21 Somewhat uncomfortable 12 Very uncomfortable 2 Don’t know/Refused 100

D12. In general, how comfortable are you, personally, being around homosexuals — very comfortable, somewhat comfortable, somewhat uncomfortable, or very uncomfortable?

Current 12/95 31 Very comfortable 32 30 Somewhat comfortable 29 15 Somewhat uncomfortable 15 20 Very uncomfortable 17 2 Never around homosexuals (vol.) 5 2 Don’t know/Refused 2 100 100

D13. Have you, yourself, ever been tested for HIV, that is, the virus that causes AIDS? (If yes, ask: Was that in the last 12 months or not?

Current 12/95 16 Yes, tested within past 12 months 16 22 Yes, tested but prior to this year 21 60 No, never tested 61 2 Don’t know 2 100 100

D14. The last time you were tested, did you discuss your test results with a doctor, other medical professional, or counselor?

Based on those who have been tested for HIV.

50 Yes 50 No * Don’t know/Refused 100 (n=484)

D15. What is the main reason you haven’t been tested for HIV? Is it that… (read in order)

Based on those who have never been tested for HIV.

2 You don’t like needles or giving blood, 21 You’re not sexually active, 61 You’re married or in a monogamous relationship, 1 You’re afraid you’ll test positive for HIV, or 6 Some other reason? 6 No need/No reason to suspect a problem (vol.) 3 Don’t know/Refused 100 (n=701)

D16. As you may know, HIV tests are now being developed that would not require using a needle or taking blood. For example, one new test for HIV would place a sponge inside your mouth for just a few minutes. How likely would you be to use an HIV test that does not require using a needle or taking blood? (read)

35 Very likely 20 Somewhat likely 8 Somewhat unlikely, or 32 Very unlikely? 3 Don’t know 2 Refused 100

D17. Gender

48 Male 52 Female 100

That completes the interview. Thank you very much for your time and cooperation. Have a nice day/evening.

Region

20 Northeast 24 Midwest 35 South 21 West 100

Community Type

28 Urban 49 Suburban 23 Rural 100

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1997 National Survey of Americans on AIDS/HIV:Press Release Survey Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Chart Pack

1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception

Conducted for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation By Princeton Survey Research Associates

Topline For Men

May 13-May 26, 1997

Introduction:

Hello, my name is _____, and I’m calling from Princeton Survey Research of Princeton, New Jersey. We are conducting a confidential national opinion survey about some important health issues.

N = 300 men, age 18-44 Margin of error: plus or minus 5 percent * Men were asked a subset of the women’s questions.

1. My first question is, In general, how would you describe your own health? Is it excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

35Excellent55Good7Only fair3Poor*Don’t know0Refused100 2. These next few questions are about your own sexual behavior. Please keep in mind that all of your answers are confidential. First, have you had sexual intercourse within the last six months?

82Yes17No0Gay (Vol.)*Don’t know1Refused100 3. Have you ever had sexual intercourse?

Based on those who have not had sexual intercourse within the last six months (n=55)

76Yes24No0Gay (Vol.)0Don’t know0Refused100 4. Do you have a partner who is currently pregnant or trying to get pregnant?

Based on those who have had sexual intercourse within the last six months (n=245)

15Yes85No*Gay (Vol.)0Don’t know*Refused100 5. Have you or your partner, if you have one, been sterilized, or have any condition that makes it impossible for your partner to ever get pregnant? (Birth Control Devices Not Included)

Based on those who have had sexual intercourse within the last six months and whose partners are not pregnant or trying to get pregnant (n=210)

25Yes73No0Gay (Vol.)1Don’t know1Refused100 6. When you have sexual intercourse, how often do you and your partner use birth control or do anything else to try to prevent pregnancy? Would you say … (Read)

Based on those who have had sexual intercourse within the last six months, whose partners are not pregnant or trying to get pregnant, and who are able to conceive (n=166)

12Never8Only sometimes,19Most of the time, or59All of the time use birth control?0Don’t know (Do Not Read)2Refused (Do Not Read)100 7. I am going to read a list of birth control methods. We are interested in which of these methods you use most often. Please tell me which of these you or your most recent partner use by saying “yes” when I mention it. You can say “yes” to more than one type of birth control if you currently use more than one method at the same time. Here’s the list. (Read 1 – 10 In Order. Record Up To Three Mentions. If Respondent Has More Than One Current Partner, Ask About His Main Partner.)

Based on those who have had sexual intercourse within the last six months, whose partners are not pregnant or trying to get pregnant, who are able to conceive, and who use birth control at least sometimes (n=143)

71Condoms60Birth control pills4A diaphragm or cervical cap1An IUD, or intrauterine device7Depo-Provera, or contraceptive shots1Norplant, or contraceptive implants9Spermicides, or foams and suppositories with spermicides10The rhythm method, or having sex only during the safe time of the month18Withdrawal or “pulling out”2Refused (Do Not Read)1Some other method? (Specify)20Don’t know0Refused 8. If a woman has just had sex and thinks she might become pregnant, is there anything she can do in the next few days to prevent the pregnancy? (Accept Multiple “Yes” Responses)

21Yes, there is something (Unspecified)*Yes, there is something — RU-486/French abortion pill (Vol.)2Yes, there is something — birth control pills (Vol.)3Yes, there is something — morning-after pills (Vol.)1Yes, there is something — emergency contraceptive pills (Vol.)1Yes, there is something — other (Specify)34No, there is not anything1Too late to prevent pregnancy (Vol.)38Not sure/Don’t know*Refused9. What could she do in the next few days to prevent the pregnancy? (Do Not Read. Record Only One Response.)

Based on respondents who said yes to Q8 but did not specify a method (n=60)

19Take morning-after pills2Take emergency contraceptive pills15Take birth control pills11Take RU-486/French abortion pill0Insert an IUD6Get an abortion15Other32Not sure/Don’t know (Do Not Probe)0Refused100 10. Have you ever heard of emergency contraceptive pills? (Accept Multiple “Yes” Responses)

Based on those who did not mention emergency contraceptive pills for Q8 or Q9 (n=298)

19Yes, have heard of it (Unspecified)2Yes, is RU-486 (Vol.)2Yes, is birth control pills (Vol.)1Yes, it is the same thing as morning-after pills (Vol.)*Yes, is other (Specify)76No, have not heard of it*Not sure/Don’t know0Refused

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1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception Survey Part Four Part One Part Two Part Three Part Five Press Release Report

This Fact Sheet summarizes eligibility, benefits and cost-sharing, and financing rules of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program as well as other child-related Medicaid provisions from the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

• Fact Sheet
• Fact Sheet