NCJ Number
233635
Date Published
March 2010
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study examines pregnant teen (ages 13-19) admissions to substance abuse treatment in 1992 and 2007, using the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), which includes a Minimum Data Set collected by all States and a Supplemental Data Set collected by some States.
Abstract
A supplemental data set contains data on those who are pregnant at the time of admission to a substance-abuse prevention program. Only data on admissions for the 26 States with a response rate of 75 percent or higher on this item in 1992 and 2007 were used in this report. The data indicate that between 1992 and 2007, the proportion of pregnant teen admissions that were Hispanic increased from 15.7 percent in 1992 compared with 21.4 percent in 2007; the proportion of pregnant teen admissions that were non-Hispanic Black decreased from 24 percent in 1992 to 14.7 percent in 2007. Primary marijuana abuse among pregnant teen admissions more than doubled, from 19.3 percent in 1992 to 45.9 percent in 2007; and primary methamphetamine abuse more than quadrupled, from 4.3 percent in 1992 to 18.8 percent in 2007. In both 1992 and 2007, approximately one in six pregnant teen admissions had at least two prior treatment admissions (15.6 percent and 15.7 percent, respectively). Between 1992 and 2007, the proportion of pregnant teen admissions referred to treatment by the criminal justice system doubled, from 21.6 percent to 43.3 percent. Referrals from community organizations also increased, from 15.9 percent to 23.2 percent. The increased proportion of Hispanic pregnant teen admissions shows the need for culturally sensitive substance abuse prevention and intervention programs. Service providers who serve pregnant teens must also be aware of the significant increase in methamphetamine use in this population. 4 figures and 4 notes