The levels of teenage pregnancy in Rushmoor and Hart differ dramatically, new statistics reveal.

An average of 43 teenage girls per 1,000 in Rushmoor get pregnant, compared to just 17 per 1,000 in Hart, the profiles show. The English average is 41, according to NHS Healthcare Profiles published this week.

The profiles show a diagnosis of each authority’s general health as part of a central government drive to tackle inequalities and improve residents’ wellbeing.

The profiles reveal that every Hart electoral ward is classified as being in the least deprived 20% of the country, while parts of Rushmoor - Heron Wood and North Town in Aldershot and Mayfield, and West Heath and Grange in Farnborough - are ranked as being in the 40% most deprived.

The profiles looked at factors including levels of obesity, life expectancy rates, how many people die from smoking and achievements of pupils in GCSE exams.

Mike Roberts, vice-chairman of the Hart and Rushmoor Patient and Public Involvement Forum and a Labour Rushmoor councillor, pointed to several factors for the pregnancy variances.

“Teenage pregnancy has been a big issue in Rushmoor for many years,” he said.

“When the Army had a bigger presence here there was certainly a trend of higher levels of teenage pregnancy and now I think there is an issue of low self-esteem.

“Many young women seem to believe that the way forward is to have an early family but often that means that they are saddled with something that they are not prepared for.”

Death statistics

Cllr Roberts, who is also a trustee of the Hampshire Youth Bureau, an Aldershot-based family mediation service that aims to prevent teenage home-lessness, said more sex education was required.

“More education is needed at an earlier age in schools,” he said. “There certainly is a need for more guidance about relationships and sex for younger people.”

Cllr Susan Band, Hart District Council’s portfolio holder for health and housing, said geography might have a hand in the differing pregnancy rates between the two areas.

“Hart is a much more rural community while Rushmoor is basically just two towns,” the Independent member said.

“I think there possibly might be a bigger sense of community in Hart, so that might have been a factor.

“I suspect that the age profile of the two authorities might differ, with more younger people in Rushmoor than Hart.”

Cllr Band said she was very encouraged by Hart’s profile, which shows fewer early deaths from smoking, heart disease or strokes compared to the England average. Figures from 2004-06 show 169.8 per 100,000 people died from smoking, compared to 225.4 nationally.

There were 57 heart disease or stroke victims per 1,000 in the same period, while there were 84.2 nationally.

Rushmoor saw 214.3 deaths per 100,000 from smoking and 73.6 from heart disease or stokes in 2004-06.

Rushmoor boys born in that period are expected to die when they are 78 and a half, while those born in Hart should reach 80, the profiles predict.

Healthy eating

The national forecast for boys is 77. Girls in Rushmoor should live until they are 82 while those in Hart can expect to live until they are 84.

“We are delighted that overall Hampshire once again has good health outcomes,” Jean Bradlow, Hampshire Primary Care Trust’s director of public health, said.

“Hampshire PCT remains committed to working with partners in areas where health improvements can be made.

“Our main priorities will be to reduce smoking, obesity and harmful alcohol consumption and deaths from cancer and coronary heart disease.

“We also aim to improve healthy eating and increase physical activity as further preventative measures, so that next year Hampshire will score even higher.”

See www.healthprofiles.info to view Hart and Rushmoor’s profiles.