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Racial disparities persist in both teen pregnancy and AIDS rates: the pregnancy rate for young African American women and young Hispanic/Latina women is nearly double that of young white women; and African Americans comprise 40 percent of those living with AIDS even though they make up only 16 percent of the population.
Sex Education Policy
Arkansas does not require sex education for students. If sex ed is taught, it must stress abstinence, and any other content is left to the discretion of the local school district. (Arkansas code 6-18-703)
Health Outcomes
Arkansas has a lower AIDS rate than the national average, but high rates of teen pregnancy and STIs; its students were less likely to report using condoms at last sex than students nationwide.
Sexual Health Stats at a Glance
|
Teen Pregnancy Rate* |
Teen Birth Rate* |
Annual rate of AIDS Diagnoses (per 100,000 people) |
STI Rate+ |
% of high school students who did not use a condom at last sex |
| Arkansas |
80 |
59.2 |
6.8 |
165 |
41 |
| National |
70 |
39.1 |
11.2 |
100.8 |
39 |
*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.
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