Several local and national studies have shown that, as with decisions to try drugs, parents play the key role in prevention. Teens who report a close or high-quality relationship with a parent or adult are significantly more likely to make decisions that protect their personal health rather than put it at risk.

Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and the health department are holding five-week sessions focusing specifically on Hispanic/Latino families.

Some public health and child welfare advocates in Utah believe the statistics are another reminder that the greater and more accurate the sources of information regarding sexual behavior the more likely birth rates among teens are to decline and continue to stay lower.

Missy Larsen, executive director of Planned Parenthood Action Council, noting that $1 billion has been spent on abstinence-only teen sex education movement nationwide, said kids overwhelmingly want to talk to their parents, and they rely on what their parents say.

"We must ask ourselves again if we are doing the best for our young people to help them prevent unintended pregnancies and to arm themselves against these diseases that could prevent them from ever having children," Larsen said. "If we can have a comprehensive approach with abstinence as the foundation and provide medically reliable information about contraception we would be doing the most we can to keep teens healthy."

---

E-mail: jthalman@desnews.com