Welcome to our last edition for 2006. The four editions so far have been a pilot project. Feedback has been excellent so we will continue to compile the Connector through 2007. Let us know if you do not wish to receive it. Members of Women's Health Victoria receive a copy automatically as part of their membership.

This edition of the Clearinghouse Connector looks at the issue of Teenage Pregnancy. We showcase resources with data and statistics, information on the effects of teen pregnancy, and reviews of prevention and support initiatives.

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Information resources

Section Three of Your Health: a Report on the Health of Victorians 2005 contains data on maternal age by DHS region that gives a good, up-to-date picture of the number of births to teenage mothers in Victoria.

Did you know the rate of teenage pregnancy up to fifty percent higher in rural areas than in cities? Rural Teen Pregnancy is discussed in this article with Dr Ian Hague, Vice President of the Rural Doctors Association of Western Australia.

This short article, Teenage Pregnancy provides an overview of the physical, social and economic effects of pregnancy in teenagers.

The Social Policy Research Centre has just released findings of its Australian study, The Impact of Young Motherhood on Education, Employment and Marriage, with some interesting results.

This report studied the perceptions of young women who had experienced an unplanned teenage pregnancy and focused on contraception, conception, decision making, pregnancy, support and services. It’s Not a Fairy Tale: Unplanned Pregnancy and the Support Needs of Young Mothers in South Australia comes in three sections, which include a research paper, a literature review and statistics.

A systematic review focused on Young People, Pregnancy and Social Exclusion looks at evidence to identify effective, appropriate and promising approaches for prevention and support. A great document to assist in health promotion planning.

The Cochrane Collaboration has also conducted a systematic review on Individual and Group-Based Parenting Programs for Improving Psychosocial Outcomes for Teenage Parents and Their Children. Essential reading for those offering parenting programs.

Latest additions to the Clearinghouse

The Out of Sight and Out of Mind project was run in Casey Cardinia Shire and aimed to improve service provision and integration for women with disabilities experiencing family violence. The report on this innovative project is now available.

Supplementary reports that support VicHealth’s recent publication Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Community Attitudes to Violence Against Women include:

Community Attitudes to Violence Against Women Survey: A Full Technical Report

VicHealth Review of Communication Components of Social Marketing / Public Education Campaigns Focusing on Violence Against Women

The Factors Influencing Community Attitudes in Relation to Violence Against Women: A Critical Review of the Literature

Refugee Settlement, Safety and Wellbeing: Exploring Domestic Violence and Family Violence in Refugee Communities

How our Clearinghouse can help you

Women's Health Victoria's Clearinghouse has a wealth of information on gender in health in various forms.

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