TAKE CONTROL Birth Control Options Lead to Healthy Communities

THE ISSUE  Lack of access to birth control options leads to negative social economic and health outcomes  Unintended pregnancies and unintended births are one of the main consequences  Low income women and teenage women have the highest rates of unintended pregnancies  This creates reproductive disparities within lower income groups

CONSEQUENCE OF UNINTENDED PREGNANCY  Unintended Pregnancies increase the rates of:  Abortion In % of unintended pregnancies ended in abortion  Teenage Pregnancy 4 out of 5 unintended pregnancies occurred with women aged 19 and under.  Economic Strain Both the individuals and the public at large feel this strain In % of unplanned births were publically funded resulting in approximately 11.1 billion dollars Of these, only 33% of these families were eligible for Medicaid funding.

CONSEQUENCE OF UNINTENDED PREGNANCY  Poor Health Outcomes Women who have unintended births have a higher risk of depression Unintended pregnancies can lead to delays in pre-natal care, which can cause increased risk for pre-term birth and birth defects  Poor Social Outcomes Women who have unintended pregnancies have greater relationship instability Strain between mothers and children can intensify in the case of unwanted birth

WHY COOK COUNTY? Cook County Births by the Numbers (2003) Race /Ethnicity 65.2 % White 29.0 % Black 32.0 % Hispanic Marital Status 58.3% Married 41.7% Single Education (Mothers) 27.1% No HS Diploma Prenatal Care 81.3% 1 st Trimester 4.3% 3 rd Trimester/No Care Age 70.4% 20 yrs. or younger  Cook County has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the country.  In 2010 Cook County accounted for approximately 62% of abortions statewide.  High rates of health disparities within the county result in a greater number of high risk individuals

BEHIND THE DISPARITIES  Lack of Health Coverage 16.4% Cook County residents lack health coverage Of this, 44% represent women  Birth control is expensive With insurance coverage out of pocket costs can range between $15- $960 annually Without insurance cost can range between $590- $1200 annually

BEHIND THE DISPARITIES  Lack of education Many women have inaccurate beliefs regarding pregnancy and contraception including: Lack of knowledge of birth control options Belief in myths such as a perceived inability to get pregnant during first instance of sexual intercourse  Cultural beliefs High religious involvement low income areas may decrease the number of individuals who use contraception. Distrust of medical establishment common in minority communities lends reduced use of birth control

THE SOLUTION  INCREASE ACCESS  Increase funding to Title X programs  Obtain funding to provide high risk communities free condoms and birth control pills  Obtain funding to expand coverage for all types of contraception  Create sliding scale payment systems for uninsured women when receiving  Increase number of practitioners and clinics in high risk communities  Work with Cook County employers to encourage enforcement of Affordable Care Act contraception mandate

THE SOLUTION  EDUCATION  Provide education about contraception through community outreach in affected communities  Inform community about different methods of contraception  Educates women on which methods would work best for them  Provide information on how to use chosen each method  Address myths and cultural beliefs specific to each community affected  Increase comprehensive sex education classes for children and adults

BENEFITS  Ensures that Cook County women are educated about sex and their contraception options  Reduces rates of abortion  Helps to ease distrust that may exist between medical and minority communities  Provides greater support to women who are seeking contraception  Empowers Cook County women to take control of their reproductive health

WHAT IS BEING DONE?  Currently there are several initiatives that are working toward this goal  Affordable Care Act Provides health coverage for millions of uninsured Americans Contraception Mandate requires that all health insurance plans provide coverage for all contraceptives approved by the FDA Does not cover individuals who do not have health insurance Exemptions for employees of religious institutions exist  Healthy People 2020 Continues toward goal of improving family planning and reducing unintended pregnancies Requires diligence to ensure these services are provided as required by Cook County

WHAT IS BEING DONE?  Title X Funding Federal grant program dedicated solely to family planning and preventive services In 2008, 108 Family Planning Centers in Illinois were utilizing Title X funding, aiding over 130,00 Illinois women However, in the same year there were over 700,000 women in need of such services  HB2675 Enhances sex education in grades 6-12 to include abstinence as well as contraception education for any sexual education program Allows for exemptions for school districts as well as individual famiies

POLICY PARAMOURS  Toni Preckwinkle  Cook County Board President  Oversees the Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues  Peggy A. Montes  Chairwomen of Commission on Women’s Issues

POLICY PARAMOURS  William Davis  IL State Representative serving constituents in Cook County IL  Chairman of the Committee of Health and Health Care Disparities  Mattie Hunter  IL State Senator serving constituents in Cook County IL  Member of the Public Health Committee; Chairman of subcommittee on Special Issues in Public Health

STAKEHOLDERS- GOVERNMENTAL  Cook County Commission on Women’s Health  Cook County Department of Public Health  Illinois Department of Public Heath  Department of Health and Human Services Family Planning Services  Illinois House of Representatives Committee of Health and Health Care Disparities  Illinois State Senate Public Health Committee  Healthy People 2020  Chicago Public Schools

STAKEHOLDERS- NONGOVERNMENTAL  Planned Parenthood  NARAL Pro-Choice America  Illinois Healthy Women  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists  Guttmacher Institute  Mikva Challenge  Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health  Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice  Chicago Women’s Health Center  The Women’s Health Foundation

REFERENCES  Finer, L.B. & Zolna, M.R. (2011). Unintended Pregnancy in the United States: incidence and disparities: Contraception, 84(5), Retrieved from:  Guttmacher Institute. (2012). In Brief: Facts on Unintended Pregnancy in the United States. Retrieved from:  The National Campaign. Unplanned Pregnancy: The Consequences of Unplanned Pregnancy. Retrieved from:  Barber, J.S., Axinn, W.G. & Thornton, A. (1999) Unwanted childbearing, health, and mother-child relationships. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 40(3),  Mayer JP. (1997). Unintended childbearing, maternal beliefs, and delay of prenatal care. Birth, 24(4):247–252.  Planned Parenthood (21 Sept 2011). New Planned Parenthood of Illinois Wicker Park Health Center Unveiled. Retrieved from: health-center-unveiled htm health-center-unveiled htm  Illinois General Assembly. (19 Jun 2012). Bill Status of HB2675.Retrieved from  Illinois Department of Public Health. (2010) Health Statistics: 2010 Illinois Abortion Statistics. Retrieved from:  Illinois Department of Public Health. (My 2008) Vital Statistics Illinois 2003: Selected Natality Statistics Among Residents of Cook County. Retrieved from:  Becker, S. (23 October 2012). Landscape of Illinois’ Uninsured and Underinsured: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know Before 2014? Illinois Health Matters. Retrieved from: content/uploads/2012/10/Slides-for-EnrollAmerica.October23.FINAL_-21.pdfhttp://illinoishealthmatters.org/wp- content/uploads/2012/10/Slides-for-EnrollAmerica.October23.FINAL_-21.pdf  Thorburn Bird, S., Bogart, LM. (2003). Birth Control Conspiracy Beliefs, Perceived Discrimination, and Contraception among African Americans: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Health Psychology, 8(2):

REFERENCES  Sebelius, K. (20 Jan 2012). A Statement By U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Retrieved from:  Healthy People (2010). Family Planning. Retrieved from:  Guttmacher Institute. (2011). State Facts about Title X and Family Planning: Illinois. Retrieved from:  U.S Department of Health and Human Services: Office of Population Affairs. (2013). Title X Family Planning. Retrieved from:  Cook County, Illinois. Women’s Issues, Commission on. (2013). Retrieved from: mmission_on/297 mmission_on/297  Illinois General Assembly: 98 th General Assembly. (2013). Subcommittee on Special Issues (PH). Retrieved from:  Illinois General Assembly: 98 th General Assembly. (2013). Health & Healthcare Disparities Committee. Retrieved from: