Median Income (2008): $35,171
Men’s Median: $38,972
Women’s Median: $26,625
Per Capital Income: $18,559
Below Poverty Line: 12.3% Families and 16.7% Population
NOTE: *One quarter of those living below the poverty line either under the age of 18 and 6.8% were over 65.
Crime: As of 2006, Longview was ranked amongst the most crime-prone areas of any size in the US. There is a 10% chance of being a victim or either violent or property crime here.
Politics: In the 2004 Election, 50.8% of the voting residents of Longview, WA voted for Democrat John Kerry.
Education: Has two public high schools: R. A. Long and Mark Morris. Both teach a comprehensive sex education course as part of a mandatory health curriculum.
Pregnancy Rates: Per 1,000, Cowlitz County had 52 per 1,000 females between the age group of 15-19. No data was available for Longview alone. If Longview were representative, that would mean it would have a 3.8% teen pregnancy rate.
NOTE: *According to The Center for Disease Control, one third of women under the age of 20 get pregnant in the United States. NOTE: *The national average is 53 per 1,000 women for teen pregnancy, making Longview, WA average.
Government Programs: Longview alone has 3 clinics for pregnancy, including Planned Parenthood and a low-income Family Health Center.
Churches: There are 53 reported churches in the Longview area, all of which are Christian
Personal Experience:
Growing up in Longview, WA, I went to R.A. Long High School, populated primarily by kids of lower economic standing. Many of my classmates were the children of mill workers, and drug and alcohol abuse was rampant, particularly as the mills were downsized and the poverty rate increased. I don’t personally recall any teen pregnancies, but I hung out with a pretty tame group of people so I’m not likely to be the best representative. I do remember two of the class presidents being involved in drug and alcohol abuse pretty heavily; in one case he died from a head wound inflicted while drunkenly boxing and in another the student body president was sent to prison for selling cocaine.
Summarizing Findings (Longview):
- Low socioeconomic standing. Other communities that reported with lower socioeconomic standings had higher teen pregnancy rates.
- Low rates of divorce (13.42%). Other communities that reported low rates of divorce also had lower teen pregnancy rates.
- Poor public education with moderate access to pregnancy support centers (approximately 3 serving a community of ~35,000). Poor public transportation system compounds problems.
- Longview shows how ostensibly rural towns can affect the teen pregnancy rate.
http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/wa/longview/crime/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowlitz_County
http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/health/assessment/2004ReportCardVO.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment