Latino parents reluctant to ‘have the talk’ on sex

By Victoria Okoye
Adelante Staff

Latino immigrants are more likely to talk about parenting responsibilities with their children than about premarital sex, according to a long-term MU study.

However, 79 percent of 200 respondents “agreed” or “strongly agreed” their children were more likely to have premarital sex in the United States than in their home countries.

“Because at least some of the individuals don’t plan to talk to their children about sex before marriage, we can better understand why Latino teen birth rates have increased in recent years,” director of the study, Anne Dannerbeck, said in a discussion at the Cambio de Colores conference.

Eighty-five percent of respondents cited a preference for “family only” or “mainly family” instead of outside organizations as the main sex educators for their children. But they considered the most important issues to discuss with children parenting responsibilities, sexually transmitted diseases and reproduction. “Not having sex outside marriage” was the issue of least importance to the respondents.

Dannerbeck, a professor of social work at MU, said the study helps to explain the message Latino parents send to their teenage children. “A lot of parents talk to their children about…what the responsibilities (of parenting) are and how important it is, and what a positive thing it is, too, to be in the role of the parent,” she said.

A separate study released in February by ChildTrends, a non-profit research organization, said that the Latino teen pregnancy rate in 2000 was 137.9 pregnancies per 1,000 females 15- to 19-years-old, compared with 83.6 for the overall U.S. teen population.

A study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute in 2004 showed that the pregnancy rate of Missouri Latinas 15- to 19-years-old is less than African-Americans of the same age but almost twice that of non-Hispanic whites.

Dannerbeck said one reason parents might not discuss premarital sex with their children is that parents don’t know firsthand the pressures American culture exerts on young people’s decisions about sex and sexuality.

Professors Marjorie Sable of the MU School of Social Work and James D. Campbell of the MU Department of Family and Community Medicine directed the study in 2003 and 2004. Titled “Improving Family Planning Outreach and Services for Hispanic Immigrants,” it gauged recent Boone County Latino immigrants’ views on gender role behavior and raising children.

The study’s project team conducted eight focus groups. Approximately 60 Latinos participated in the focus groups, with four groups of males and four groups of females. Participants’ responses were used to create a 170-question survey, which was used in face-to-face interviews with 100 males and 100 females mainly in their homes in the summer and fall of 2004.

Where to go for a free and frank discussion
Parents who are unsure about how to talk with their kids about sex —and teens who want to talk to other teens about the pressures — have a few options in Columbia:

- The Intersection of Columbia is a community center that offers an after-school program for at-risk youth. Intersection’s new class for youth 12 and older, “Choosing the Best Way,” promotes abstinence until marriage. Glenn Robertson, the Intersection's after-school program coordinator, said the class deals with “avoiding unhealthy relationships; identifying risks, as far as emotionally and physically; sex and ...abstinence until marriage.” Email gsrobertson@centurytel.net or call 817-0089 for more information.

-The Columbia/Boone County Health Department provides parent and teen group discussions about puberty, sexuality and peer pressure. Called Hot Topics, the discussion groups are geared to ages 14 to 17 and are held 10 times a year. They cover self-esteem, effective birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and healthy relationships. Call 874-7559 for more information.

-Last August, the health department started “Can We Talk?” discussion groups to help parents feel comfortable talking with their children about health and sexuality education. The Spanish version, “¿Conversamos?,” was scheduled to meet for the first time May 13. For more information on “¿Conversamos?” call 441-4457.