Teen birth rates highest in most religious states

[ccharles000]

U.S. states whose residents have more conservative religious beliefs on average tend to have higher rates of teenagers giving birth, a new study suggests.

The relationship could be due to the fact that communities with such religious beliefs (a literal interpretation of the Bible, for instance) may frown upon contraception, researchers say. If that same culture isn't successfully discouraging teen sex, the pregnancy and birth rates rise.

Mississippi topped the list for conservative religious beliefs and teen birth rates, according to the study results, which will be detailed in a forthcoming issue of the journal Reproductive Health.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32884806/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

[Burma Jones]

1. And here are your lowest life expectancy states........maybe they just have to start young

41 Georgia 75.3
42 Kentucky 75.2
43 Arkansas 75.2
44 Oklahoma 75.2
45 Tennessee 75.1
46 West Virginia 75.1
47 South Carolina 74.8
48 Alabama 74.4
49 Louisiana 74.2
50 Mississippi 73.6

[sam sarrha]

2. here is the lowest IQ expectancies . mississippi=50th lowest= Mississippi 85 IQ AVG

http://groups.google.com/group/sci.anthropology/msg/6863ee95fb79eb49?q=iq+by+state&hl=en&lr&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rnum=1&pli=1
40) Texas...........................92 $17,892 Bush
(41) Alabama.......................90 $16,220 Bush
(42) Louisiana......................90 $15,712 Bush
(43) Montana.......................90 $16,062 Bush
(44) Oklahoma.....................90 $16,198 Bush
(45) South Dakota................90 $16,558 Bush
(46) South Carolina..............89 $15,989 Bush
(47) Wyoming......................89 $17,423 Bush
(48) Idaho............................87 $16,067 Bush
(49) Utah.............................87 $15,325 Bush
(50) Mississippi....................85 $14,088 Bush

don't drink the F'n water there..:spray:

[bethdoc]

11. Snopes lists this as false

Just an FYI :hi:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/stateiq.asp

Not that I would be surprised if Bush voters had an average lower IQ.

[FBaggins]

15. The problem with that list...

...is that it determines IQs by median income.

There is certainly some correlation between IQ and the ability to get higher paying jobs... but that oversimplified truism can't be used in this fashion (think what it would say about the world's poorest countries? About minority groups in the US?).

A school teacher doesn't become suddenly smarter when she moves from SC to NY even though her income climbs substantially... because the cost of living is so different.

[sam sarrha]

18. i reposted, but it disappeared.. a list based on HET and SAT. the scores went up to 92 IQ, but the

SAT score will boost up the IQ avg in a population with greater than a 50% drop out rate.. even the HST will artificially raise the IQ level when half that population didn't finish to take it.. http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/downloadFile.do?id=250

how can a man call himself a "Representative" of his people and feel self righteous about the poor deserving what they get...because

they believe that 'wealth' is the measure of how god favors a man/corporation, therefore... it is a sin against god to tax a rich man. it is also a sin against god to help a poor man, because god is punishing the poor man with poverty.

i saw no indication the iq scores were related to income... the people i work with here in NC from SC definitely validated the 85 level.. a significant % of truck drivers, army volunteers come from that area seeking to escape the preventable and hopeless gut wrenching poverty there.

[Alcibiades]

24. Smart folks also leave the state

Most of my family is from SC, and I've said it time and time again: folks with any brains leave SC as soon as they can. This also helps to drive down the average in SC. Plus, how dumb would you have to be to move to SC? I suspect there's a powerful dynamic going on, wherein smart people leave to flee the stupidity and dumb people arrive, attracted by all the stupidity.

[Kalyke]

25. I don't buy that.

My state is pretty dumb, but the beauty and moderate weather keep people here.

:shrug:

[sam sarrha]

26. not so much smart or dumb as Tragic.. i have an IQ of 164, i was put in retarded classes in CA,..

i would have dropped out if my father wouldnt have beaten me to death. i have Aspbergers Syndrome, my literacy level is 5th grade but i am a technical savant, i work in Aerospace. their standard for evaluating is ridiculous.. i think that is where all the Spelling Nazi's go to get jobs, and write tests... so they can ruin peoples lives..

i fault the political party in charge of SC, the school teachers for not blocking traffic to protest, the parents for not joining up with the teachers to shut down the state demonstrating against what's happening to their children..

[sam sarrha]

27. not so much smart or dumb as Tragic.. i have an IQ of 164, i was put in retarded classes in CA,..

i would have dropped out if my father wouldnt have beaten me to death. i have Aspbergers Syndrome, my literacy level is 5th grade but i am a technical savant, i work in Aerospace. their standard for evaluating is ridiculous.. i think that is where all the Spelling Nazi's go to get jobs, and write tests... so they can ruin peoples lives..

i fault the political party in charge of SC, the school teachers for not blocking traffic to protest, the parents for not joining up with the teachers to shut down the state demonstrating against what's happening to their children..

[Alcibiades]

30. And the lack of economic opportunity

Drives many elsewhere. :hi:

[TransitJohn]

20. There is no way that Wyoming's median income is that low.

No way in hell. McDonald's in Rock Springs and Gillette pay $15-$20/hr to try to get workers.

[Kalyke]

23. YAY! Tennessee isn't on that list.

:)

[RagAss]

31. WOW..no wonder these fuckers don't make sense to us.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. good info...what's life expectancy in CA?

[Burma Jones]

17. California is number 10......Here's a link to the list

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/sep2006/db20060913_099763.htm

[MineralMan]

3. They're just following what it says in the Bible:

Be fruitful and multiply. So they are...

[321Morrow]

5. Does religion cause horniness?

Or just the need for a spiritual "release?"

[queenjane]

6. Among my South Carolina relatives

Teen and/or out-of-wedlock births are normal & usual behavior. Both males & females have kids with multiple partners, and they don't care for or financially support these children. Their parents & grandparents do. More than several have had their children taken by social services. NO ONE uses birth control. They're all nominally Baptist, though most don't attend services. I think they just don't think about BC or are just too lazy or stupid to use it.

I've been threatening for years to give birth control seminars at our family reunions . . .

[Arkansas Granny]

10. Maybe they're like some parents I know who feel like providing their

teens with birth control meant condoning premarital sex.

[queenjane]

13. Should be obvious THAT strategy ain't working! ;-0

My family members aren't your typical fundies--most of them vote Dem, they don't proselytize, etc. I really believe they just don't think it's a big deal. Unfortunately, these babies never get the nurturing they really need, the stability, a real education, a chance at a better life. Generation after generation perpetuates unwed teen parenthood. No one goes to college. Hell, unless they join the military, they never leave the county or associate with non-family members . They actually are really nice people--to me, at least--and I do enjoy visiting them. But the lack of books or newspapers in houses, the absense of any intent to ever go to college, etc., just depresses me.

[Walk away]

7. How about the 100 poorest counties in the U.S.

100 poorest counties by per capita income
Income in the United States
Household income in the United States
Personal income in the United States
Affluence in the United States
Income inequality in the United States
Income by:

Number of counties by state in the 100 poorest counties: Texas, 17; Kentucky, 16; Mississippi, 14; South Dakota, 10; Louisiana, 5; Alabama, 4; Georgia, 4; Montana, 4; New Mexico, 4; North Dakota, 3; Arizona, 2; Idaho, 2; Nebraska, 2; Tennessee, 2; West Virginia, 2; Alaska, 1; Arkansas, 1; Colorado, 1; Florida, 1; Missouri, 1; Oklahoma, 1; South Carolina, 1; Utah, 1; Wisconsin, 1. Twenty-six states do not have any counties in the 100 poorest counties.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowest-income_counties_in_the_United_States

[Tempest]

8. The same is true in conservative areas of states with lower rates

In California, for example, the interior valley has the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the state and the highest rates of conservatism and religion.

[redqueen]

9. When will they ever learn?

Oh sorry, I forgot... religion trumps actual knowledge. My mistake...

[Mist]

12. I've given some thought over the years to those who don't use birth control. I honestly

think they're uncomfortable w/birth control because it means premeditation. They're consciences are okay with spontaneous sex, but not with any planning about or around sex.

[Walk away]

14. I came to another conclusion. They either want to get pregnant or..

They are so stupid they actually believe god doesn't want them to use contraceptives or (worse yet) they are too stupid to think ahead and do something about it.

I was sexually active at sixteen. I took myself to Planned Parenthood, went on the pill and asked my boyfriend to wear a condem. He did. Nuf said.

[Mist]

16. That's just it--they don't plan ahead, which to them would mean pre-meditated sin. All sex must

therefore be "spontaneous."

[Kalyke]

21. No - it's because they don't have access to birth control.

Parents snarl and rant to keep it out of schools. No one can afford a doctor and they aren't trained on how to use a condom properly (and the men are told they shouldn't have to).

It's not the planning - it's the lack of planning, actually.

[kiranon]

29. Agree and both of our children's birthmom's told us that.

[The Straight Story]

19. Is that because they don't get abortions? (nt)

[Kalyke]

22. They often have little access to that, either.

There is one abortion clinic where I live in a town of 400,000 - probably 700,000 when you include the surrounding counties.

[kiranon]

28. Adoption attorneys put ads in many local papers in these states.

That's where the newborns are because the moms intentionally do not use birth control because it would be a sin and they intend not to have sex. But things being the way they are, babies are born. Abortion is not an option for these birthmoms. In our case, the birthmom's family tried to keep the pregnancy secret - in this day and age no less - so the relatives would not know but they knew anyway because those kinds of secrets are very hard to keep in the age of instant communication. Our adopted daughter was born in 2000 in Southern Missouri. Our adopted son is from another equally conservative even more southern state. We are raising 2 future democratic voters.