ADOLESCENT

SEXUAL HEALTH IN MAHASKA COUNTY


WHAT WE KNOW

MAHASKA COUNTY

Sexuality is a natural, human trait.
In adolescence, we experience significant physical, psychological, and social changes related to our sexuality. We also explore behaviors, values, and feelings which in turn shape our identities.

Sexual health isn’t simply avoiding negative outcomes.
Sexual health at any age is “a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well–being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity.”

Sexual health is determined by life choices, social and structural factors, and access to education and services.
Healthy sexual development is impacted by an adolescent’s level of access to quality sex education, safe and affordable healthcare, and family support. Outcomes are also influenced by poverty and discrimination, gender inequities and gender role expectations, and the assumption that everyone is or should be heterosexual.



THE FACTS: In Mahaska County, the number of teen births has remained stable since 2016.

MAHASKA County 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Number of teen births (mothers 15 – 19) 13 16 16 9 13
Population of 15 – 19 year old females 684 719 688 720 694
Percent of births to teen mothers 5% 6% 6% 3% 5%
Teen birth rate (per 1,000 females, 15 – 19 years) 19 22 23 13 19
Rank among peers** (Counties of <10K pop.) 8 8 6 15 7
Overall rank** among Iowa’s 99 counties 36 24 15 58 26
*Counts of 5 or less but greater than 0 are suppressed to protect confidentiality.
**Rank of 1 = highest birth rate, rank of 24 or 99, respectively = lowest birth rate

Statewide, between 2016 and 2020 teens 15 – 19 years accounted for 25% of chlamydia cases, 14% of gonorrhea cases, and 4% of syphilis cases.

MAHASKA County 2015 - 2016 2017 - 2018 2019 - 2020
Chlamydia 55 29 53
Gonorrhea 7 7 13