LOG IN   JOIN   BLOG SEARCH   ALL DIARIES
Blog
Issues
Take Action
Donate
About
Youth Resources
My Sistahs
Advocates For Youth
 

.

Pennsylvania 


Pennsylvania has  lower teen pregnancy and STI rates than most states, but its AIDS rate is higher than the national rate.

Sexual Health Stats at a Glance
  Teen Pregnancy Rate* Teen Birth Rate* AIDS Rate (Cases per 100,000 people) STI Rate+ % of high school students who used a condom at last sex
Pennsylvania  53 31 14.1 102.1 Not reported 
National 70 42 12.5 117.4 62

Per 1000 young women ages 15-19
+Because of concern over recent changes in Chlamydia reporting and relative low incidence of syphilis, we used the state's gonorrhea rate as a stand-in for sexually transmitted infection rates.

(Visit the
Amplify Grading Standards page to learn how we assessed this grade. Report cards will be updated as new information becomes available.) 

Did You know?

Pennsylvania schools are not required to teach sex education, even though there are almost 87,000 sexually active teenagers in the state. They are required teach HIV prevention lessons, but must stress abstinence.

Other facts about Pennsylvania :

  • Pennsylvania has the 12th lowest teen pregnancy rate in the nation.
  • There are over 12,400 people living with HIV in Pennsylvania.
  • Twelve percent of Pennsylvania’s population lives in poverty.


Looking for more information

Looking for more information on young people’s rights or reproductive and sexual health in Pennsylvania? Check out these sites to learn more!
 
Learn more about HIV, STIs, teen pregnancy, and the factors that are putting young people at risk in your state and nationwide:
Learn more about sex education in Pennsylvania: What does your state’s law say about sex education? Is sex education mandatory? Is it prohibited? Does your state teach abstinence-only education? The Sexuality Education and Information Council of the United States (SIECUS) has the facts on sex education policy and funding in your state.
 
Does Pennsylvania ensure the safety of GLBTQ youth in schools? The Gay Lesbian Straight Educators Network (GLSEN) has examined school policies and programs and assessed each state’s efforts. Find out where your state is succeeding and where more work is needed.
 
Learn more about contraceptive services in PennsylvaniaWhere does your state rank on providing women the contraceptive access and reproductive health services they need? Does insurance cover birth control pills? How many family planning clinics are there? Find out in Contraception Counts, a report on your state from the Guttmacher Institute.
 
Know your rightsWhat are your rights to birth control, HIV testing, and abortion in Pennsylvania? At what age can a teen get care without parental consent? What are the laws around minors and sex in Pennsylvania?   Sex, Etc. has the answers in their Sex in the States info on your state.
 
Additional State Resources:
 
Department of Education