?
Survey: Young blacks concerned about sexual health
FROM STAFF REPORTS
A recent survey conducted
by the Kaiser Family Founda
tion revealed that sexual health
is a major concern for most (95
percent) of African-American
young people, surpassing other
concerns such as violence,
drug use and discrimination.
O For the past four years,
BET has partnered with the
Kaiser Family Foundation to
educate millions of young
African Americans on sexual
health information in the
award-winning HIV/AIDS
awareness campaign "Rap It
Up."
The comprehensive media
campaign is packed full of
shows, public announcements,
online information, a free
booklet on sexual health issues
and a toll-free hot line, where
nearly half a million people
have called in for questions or
concerns regarding sexual
health. ?
"It's Your (Sex) Life: Your
Guide to Safe & Responsible
Sex" is a 31-page free booklet
with straightforward informa
tion on a range of topics such
as unintended pregnancy, birth
control, sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs), condom use
and mixing drugs and alcohol
with sex. The booklet is being
made available free of charge
through the partnership.
"The Sexual Health of
African American Adolescents
and Young Adults" was in
response to the high rates of
HIV/AIDS and STDs among
young people of color. While
many young African Ameri
cans surveyed in the national
study expressed great concern
for their sexual health, many
still do not recognize the seri
ous health consequences of
untreated STDs(gr hold inac
curate misconceptions about
the transmission of STDs.
Researchers blame the
large knowledge gup about
STDs among teens and young
adults of color for the increase
in infections. Public health
agencies estimate that every
year at least one in four sexu
ally active teens will develop
an STD.
Data from the survey snap
shot also indicate that about
one-fifth of African-American
students in grades 9-12 have
had sex before age 13, com
pared with 5.5 percent of
whites and 9.2 percent of Lati
nos in the same grades. Among
currently sexually active teens
in grades 9-12, 70 percent of
African Americans report
using a condom the last time
they had sexual intercourse,
while 55 percent of whites and
55.3 percent of Latinos did in
the same grades.
Even though African
Americans represent only 12
percent of the total U.S. popu
lation. African Americans
account for half of all new
HIV infections and AIDS
cases in the country and AIDS
is the leading cause of death
among African Americans
aged 25 to 44. the survey
states.
A portion of the national
survey focused on where
young African Americans are
seeking answers to questions
about sexual health issues.
Fifty-four percent of African
American-youths aged 15 to 24
reported they receive "a lot" of
information on sexual topics
from parents; 49 percent of
those youths are sexually
active and 63 percent of those
youths are not sexually active.
Other sources used by youths
to obtain information on sexu
al health issues were reported
as siblings, friends, boyfriends
or girlfriends/partners, doc
tors/health care providers,
media sources and sex educa
tion classes.
Other findings include:
? African-American youths
represented about 15 percent
of U.S. teen-agers but account
for 64 percent of new AIDS
cases reported among those
aged 13-19 in 2000.
?76 percent of African
American males in grades 9-12
have had sex, compared with
45 percent of white males and
62 percent of Latino males in
the same grades.
? 62 percent of African
American females aged 15 to
44 use some for of birth con
trol. including sterilization,
compared with 66 percent of
white females and 59 percent
of Latinas in the same age
group.
? The pregnancy rate for
African-American teens aged
15-19 is 170 per 1.000 teens,
compared with 94 for whites
and 148 for Latinas of the
same age group.
? The pregnancy rate for
African-American teens under
age 15 is 7.7 per I.(MM), com
pared with 1.1 for whites and
3.9 for Latinas in the same age
group.
For more information visit
www.rap-it-up.com or call
(X66I RAP-IT-UP.
I r
Although blaikit'9 percent of the population,
they make up WilKnfr ITD cat**.
AoiAOii i | -|
Gibson
from page A8
national charities. He said more
than 40 celebrities have com
mitted to attending this year's
event, which will be held Aug.
24 at Tiburon Golf Club in
Omaha. Neb. Fourteen Hall of
Fame Athletes - including Yogi
Berra. Rod Carew, Bill Maze
roski, Ozzie Smith and Dan
Dierdorf - are some of the
celebrities planning to attend.
The Bob Gibson All-Star
Classic is celebrating its sixth
year and has raised more than
$1.5 million in net funds for
Omaha charities and the Base
ball Assistance Team. Host Bob
Gibson is a member of the Hall
of Fame and in 1999 was select
ed to Major League Baseball's
All-Century team. During his
major league career, Gibson
won two Cy Young awards,
nine straight Gold Glove
awards, pitched one no-hitter
and helped lead the St^Xouis
Cardinals to two World Series
championships (winning a
record seven straight games).
In 1968, Gibson was the
National League Most Valuable
Player after posting a 22-9
record that included 13
shutouts, 268 strikeouts and a
major league record 1.12 ERA.
ConAgra Foods Inc. is one
of North America's largest food
companies with a strong pres
ence in consumer grocery, as
well as restaurant and food
service establishments. ConA
gra Foods' consumer brands
include: Hunt's, Healthy
Choice, Banquet, Armour,
Bumble Bee. Louis Kemp. La
Choy, Lunch Makers. Knott's
Berry Farm and Wesson.
Playtex
from paAH
to help a woman determine the
appropriate size to buy. and
through the years has led the
way in technologically
designed garments. It contin
ues that tradition today.
"The Playtex name is syn
onymous with quality and
innovation - two benchmarks
of Sara Lee products." said
Charles L Nesbit Jr.. president
and chief executive officer of
Sara Lee Intimates and
Hosiery. "Globally, it's the
No. I selling brand of bras,
and it has one of the most
highly recognized brand
names of any product in the
world. The Eighteen Hour
name alone commands a high
90 percent consumer aware- t
ness rating. Playtex is one of I
the very few intimate apparel i
brands that both department t
store and mass retailers suc
cessfully carry."
Playtex's U.S. headquar
ters had been in Stamford.
Conn., since 1979. "Relocat- (
ing to Winston-Salem allows
us to take advantage of the t
synergies among our existing
brands, which include Playtex,
Bali. Wonderbra. barely there.
Lovable and Hanes Her Way,"
Nesbit said. "We're very
proud of our portfolio of out- i
standing intimate apparel i
brands, and we're delighted to i
have the Playtex staff in Win
stofi-Salem."
In total, the U.S. company i
employs 3,830 people in the
United States. Puerto Rico and
he Dominican RefwMh^flay?
:mployees in eight countries
Welcoming Pl||tot to
Winston-Salem
Allen Joines; 0<vW Hyftlr.
vice chairman of the Forsyth
County commissioners; Oayle
Anderson, president df the
Chamber of Commerce; and
Alderman Dan Besle of the
Playtex's new offices. Guests
also enjoyed ice cream on the
terrace to the rrtusic of The
Smyle Band.
The headquarters reloca
rton to Winston-Salem is not
-,$? oniy boost that North Car
wlna will enjoy from Playtex,
Nadeau said. "By the end of
the year, we will complete the
transition Of Playtex \ packag
ing and distribution operations
from Dover, Del., to Kings
Mountain, N.C.
Construction in King's
Mountain will be completed
this summer, with installation
gf equipment in August and
& September, and transfer of
i|j|ftclions to begin in October,
?iid Hie Company will add
t&WT 250 positions in Kings
Mountain.
Playtex Apparel is a mar
ket leader in women's intimate
apparel. The company is part
of Sara Lee Intimates and
Hosiery, based in Winston
Salem.
Teens
from page AS
hour, said he didn't have to work,
but wanted extra spending money.
He doesn't mind the teasing from
his friends, many of whom are
astonished he wants to work when
he doesn't have to, let alone at a
fast-food restaurant.
"They say, 'What is wrong
with you?'" Onyebuchi said. "But
I'm making money and they're
not."
Americans' increasing afflu
ence also is a factor in the rate
drop of working teens, said Ron
Bird, chief economist at the
Employment Policy Foundation,
a business-supported think tank in
Washington. Both parents com
monly work in today's house
holds. meaning more money is
available for teens' spending
habits.
The median U.S. household
income is $42,148, compared
with $31,397 in 1967. according
to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Nearly 22.3 million people
ages 16 to 24 were employed or
looking for work in July last year,
the Bureau of Labor Statistics
said. A year earlier, 22.4 million
people of that age were working
or seeking jobs. Last year, more
young men worked or kxiked for
jobs than young women, at rates
of 74.2 percent and 67.5 percent,
respectively. More young whites
worked or looked for jobs. 73.9
percent, than young blacks, 60.4
percent.
For teens looking for jobs, the
nation's rising unemployment rate
shouldn't deter prospects, econo
mists said. The rate hit 5.8 percent
in May, and is expected to contin
ue climbing to as high as 6.5 per
cent.
The two industries that domi
nate when it comes to youth
employment - retail and services
- aren't suffering as badly as other
industries. Retailers have added
22.000 new jobs since January.
Stinson said. But the services sec
tor is still weak. Restaurants and
bars, hotels and lodging places
and entertainment venues have
lost some jobs since last year,
though not as many as other sec
tors, he said.
The most common jobs for
teens are food preparation and
service positions, such as waiters
and cooks, and sales. The top jobs
for girls are cashiers, waitresses
and food counter jobs. For boys,
they are cooks, cashiers and stock
handlers and baggers.
The average hourly wage for
teens last year was $6.75 an hour.
Hampton
from page A3
excited after a small progress,
because that can interfere with
future progress.
Motivation and empower
ment are common themes in
Cook's work. Her most recent
projects include Sujay min
istries, an audio and video
ministry designed to meet the
needs of urban professionals
and youths, and Jonco Produc
tions. established to promote
her video and written motiva
tional works.
She is also the author of
five books, including her lat
est. "Too Blessed to Be
Stressed: Words of Wisdom
for Women on the Move." ?
"Sister Strength: A Collection
of Devotions for and from
African American Women"
and "'New Dating Attitude:
Getting Ready for the Mate
God Has for You."
Cook says she gets her
inspiration from God and her
family, and she tries to sur
round herself with things that
help her relax, such as the sun
or the ocean. She sees her
family as equal partners in heT
works: she involves them in
all her" accomplishments. "I
will keep a red eye just to be
able to give them what they
need," she said.
To keep her sanity. Cook
keeps a schedule of rest
breaks, pray and play.
"God worked six days out
of the week, and rested on the
seventh." she said. "I try to
follow that same schedule."
Byrd
from page A2
o whose father was assassinated
in 1968, saidByrd's stance on
the execution of John King
reflects the SCLC position
that capital punishment vio
lates basic human rights of all
people.
"It's not a black or White
issue," said King, president of
the Southern Christian Lead
ership Conference. "It's a
right or wrong issue."
Texas has executed 257
people since the death penalty
was reinstated in 1976. Eigh
teen people have died by
injection this year. Jasper
County District Attorney Guy
James Gray said King has
unsuccessfully used every
state appeals option available.
Ellis said he will file a fed
eral District Court appeal in
mid-August. That could be
King's last chance unless the
federal court allows him to
open new appeals at the state
level.
www.wschronicle.com
I 1
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