Public Perceptions of Teenage Pregnancy in Britain: Causes and Preventative Measures

Lynda Clarke, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Katarina Thomson, National Centre for Social Research

Few groups in society excite as much public concern about policy as 'teenage mothers.' The debate on teenage pregnancy has moved on considerably under New Labour, culminating in a national campaign to reduce the rate of teen conceptions as well as support teenage parents (Social Exclusion Unit 1999). As part of the evaluation of this strategy the Teenage Pregnancy Unit and the Health Development Agency sponsored questions on teenage pregnancy carried in the 2000 British Social Attitudes survey. The evidence from these questions reveals fascinating differences in opinions. Ideas about the factors encouraging teenage parenthood and, consequently, the measures that should be used to reduce it or support teenage parents and their children are not unanimous and multivariate analysis shows interesting differences. The more conservative views held by people over age 55 are one of the most interesting results and is also linked to religiosity and educational levels.