Impact of Sex Education
Impact of Sex Education
The issue of teen pregnancy and sexual health is no secret. The rates in the United States of teen pregnancy and STDs is very high (Kirby, D. 2007). There are different strategies in the fight to reduce te numbers of teens with pregnancies of sexual health issues. Most are centered around education, but there are give general classifications: “curriculum-based programs, clinician-patient interactions in clinic settings, video- and computer-based programs, programs for parents and their families, and multicomponent programs (Kirby, D. 2007). “ The most popular of these groups are the impact of sex education programs and it is the group that is the most measured.
There are also different approaches to sex education. There are those that only focus on abstinence and those that include abstinence as contraceptive use. It has been shown that sex education programs that focus on only abstinence fail to produce significant effects on sexual behavior (Kirby, D. 2007). However, comprehensive programs such as those that include not only abstinence but also education regarding the consistent use of condoms and contraceptives did not in fact increase sexual behavior as commonly feared. Studies show that about 66% of comprehensive education programs had a positive impact on delaying sexual activity, reducing frequency of sex and number of partners, or increasing condom/contraceptive use (Kirby, D. 2007).
References:
Kirby, D. (2007). Abstinence, Sex, and STD/HIV Education Programs for Teens: Their Impact on Sexual Behavior, Pregnancy, and Sexually Transmitted Disease. Annual Review of Sex Research, 18143-177. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
References: Kirby, D. (2007). Abstinence, Sex, and STD/HIV Education Programs for Teens: Their Impact on Sexual Behavior, Pregnancy, and Sexually Transmitted Disease. Annual Review of Sex Research, 18143-177. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Kim, Christine C., and Robert Rector. "Abstinence-Only Education Programs Are Effective." Teenage Sexuality, edited by Aarti D. Stephens, Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Accessed 15 Oct. 2017. Originally published as "Abstinence Education: Assessing the Evidence," Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, 2008, pp. 1-14. http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&docIndex=&source=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&u=gtechclg&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010166269&windowstate=normal&activityType=DocumentWithCommentary&failOverType=&commentary=true…
- 102 Words
- 1 Page
Best Essays -
Kohler, P. K., & Lafferty, W. E., & Manhart, L.E. (2008). Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(4), 344-351. Retrieved from http://www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/courses/3615/Readings/Kohler_2008.pdf…
- 974 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
Each of us deserves medically accurate and thorough information in order to make informed decisions about our health. Teenagers who are exposed solely to abstinence-only sexual education programs are not experiencing this right to information. Abstinence-only sexual education programs preach abstaining from sex until marriage, often omitting conversations about other significant topics of sexual health – such as contraception, STIs, etc. Although practicing abstinence is the only sure way to avoid STIs and unwanted pregnancy, it is not realistic to expect all adolescents to remain abstinent until marriage. Research suggests that implementing comprehensive sexual education programs – those that include information on an array of sexual health…
- 606 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Napier, Kristine. (1997). Abstinence-Only Programs Reduce Teen Pregnancy. Gale Group Opposing Viewpoints Research Center. Retrieved April 1, 2004. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/OVRC?vrsn=212&slb=SU&locID=pl2552&srchtp=basic…
- 1251 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the average teenager engages in sexual intercourse by the age of seventeen, but do not marry until the mid-twenties (citation). This means that young adults are at an increased risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections for nearly ten years or longer. The numbers of students engaging in sexual activity of ages thirteen to twenty-four continues to grow each year, as does the number of unplanned pregnancies and HIV infections due to not being fully educated about the risks. Today, the duty of educating students and teenagers about sexual intercourse and the risks involved is left to the government and public school system. Abstinence education programs in public…
- 637 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Teens did not know their own bodies. There were little factual resources that teenagers can depend. Few choices left for them, teenagers were guided along high risk actions. Abstinence was the approved option by parents, as it teaches teens to not be sexually active but not on protection or STDS. Another path is exploration on their own means. Exploration was dangerous, because teenagers were unaware of the consequences. Both options plunged teens’ health into a abyss. Then around 1980s, media started to reach towards the topic of sexual activity in teenagers. Many teen movies brushed against the topic about sexual activity and gave more positive responses than usual. Now, there is a rapid increase in sexual activity amongst teens. Due to this rise of sexually active teens, sexual health programs in high schools need to be updated to accommodate this change. High schools need to avoid only abstinence learning and implemented new programs for…
- 549 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Comprehensive Sexual Education What has happened to today’s society that we are opposed to condoms because they might entice sex? When has allowing our youth to practice unsafe sex over safe sex been okay? We often think because we supply kids with condoms, birth control, and talks, that we are giving them permission to have sex, when in fact we are merely trying to protect them from STDs and pregnancy. We do not need to scare kids, but we do need to provide them with information about safe sex practices and what can happen if they do plan to explore their sexual urge. Facts are the most important thing we can offer those select few of youth who wish to engage in sex. Since when has providing information been a bad thing? Shouldn’t the youth know what they are doing and what can happen before they do it? Most schools and education environments that do encourage any sort of sexual education, teach kids to “just say no”. The one main problem with this “abstinence only” education is that it denies those who do say “yes” information, instead of providing other acceptable options other than abstinence. Throughout time, ratings have shown that teaching the abstinence only education doesn’t affect the rates at which teenagers decide to have sex. Though comprehensive sex education doesn’t stop kids from having sex, it does however teach them how to participate in safe sex. Teenagers in today’s society are not stupid. When they are told by teachers that abstinence is the only way that they will not get a STD, they know they are being lied to or misled. Giving teenagers’ information about the risks of different types of sexual behavior can help them make informed decisions about sex. The most effective programs are not the ones that try to divert teens from sex completely but rather the ones that try to steer teens away from dangerous sexual behaviors. Most teens who do not have the correct information on risky sexual behaviors veer away from vaginal intercourse, and…
- 456 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
States with abstinence-only sex education rank the highest in the numbers of underage pregnancies. Abstinence-only sex educations’ exclusive purpose is teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity. But, this program excludes other types of sexual and reproduction health education, particularly regarding birth control and safe sex. By excluding this information, abstinence-only programs may end up deterring contraceptive use among teens that do have sex, risking underage teen pregnancies. This information can help protect the health of teenagers, and by not showing any big positive effect, this program is considered ineffective. In order to prevent teen pregnancies and risk of disease, teenagers need to be able to comprehend every major aspect of sexual intercourse and need to know about safe ways to engage in such activities.…
- 625 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The United States has the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy of any developed country. Each year, unprotected sex results in almost four million teenagers contracting an STD. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is also a serious health concern for young people. Of the 40,000 new HIV infections in the US every year, about 20,000 occur in people under the age of 25, unprotected sex being to blame. (1) The National Abortion Rights Advocacy League says, “By denying teens the full range of information regarding human sexuality, abstinence-only education fails to provide young people with the information they need to protect their health and well-being.” (2) Surveys done by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that “students who have sex education know more and feel better prepared to handle different situations and decisions than those who have not.” (3) If the abstinence-only approach continues, it is expected have serious consequences by denying young people access to the information they need to protect themselves. These…
- 2748 Words
- 11 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Sexual risk behaviors place adolescents at risk for HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and unintended pregnancy among U.S. school surveyed in 2011 from the Center of Diseases Control (CDC,2011). An estimated 8,300 young people aged 13–24 years in the 40 states reporting to CDC had HIV infection in 2009.Nearly half of the 19 million new STDs ( Sexually Transmitted Diseases) each year are among young people aged 15–24 years. More than 400,000 teen girls aged 15–19 years gave birth in 2009(CDC, 2009)…
- 733 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Concern for public health and safety have resulted in regulations of medical practices to standards of living enforced by social services and so on; sex education for today’s youth should be based on this same premise, to control the risks that are involved with the sexual activity of youth in the U.S. which are a potential threats to public health and safety. Among these concerns for youth who become sexually active outside of the context of marriage are the threat of STI’s and HIV and unwanted pregnancy. Looking at sex education from the perspective of public health and safety, it is clear that the most logical approach to effective sex education for today’s youth is the comprehensive approach which address several options for protecting oneself from the risks of sexual activity, as opposed to the abstinence only approach which has a biased “one solution for all” approach that does not address youth who are at a high risk for negative outcomes of sexual activity.…
- 972 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
If children and adolescents are educated about sex practices at too young of an age it can encourage them to partake in sexual activities prematurely. This can result in teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and negative mental health or low self-esteem. If students are educated about sex with abstinence based program it can reduce the amount of teen pregnancies that occur. For example, Project IMPPACT in New York City “focuses on the importance of abstaining from sexual intercourse” (Lieberman, Gray, Wier, Fiorention, & Maloney, 2000). This program discovered that “Lower rates of adolescent sexual activity are associated with having parents who demonstrate a combination of traditional attitudes toward sexual behavior and effective communication practices” (Lieberman et al, 2000).…
- 1261 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
Many do not think about abstinence programs when thinking about sexual education. Abstinence programs can be found all around America as well as all around the world. There are 84% of teens that have had abstinence only education. In the US, all schools are required to teach sexual education, “26 of states require that abstinence be stressed more than any other form of sexual education”. (Health Research Funding) In this generation there are statistics showing that there is a great amount of teens under the age of 15 who have had sexual intercourse. Abstinence programs can prevent these interactions, and teach young teens the provided source which is abstinence. There are many statistics shown that abstinence programs are effective, how these…
- 1411 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
Abstinence-based sexual education comes from a foundation of Christian morality and employs shame and fear to attempt to prevent teenagers from engaging in sexual acts prior to marriage. The goal is to reduce teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and of course, the perceived sin of adultery. However noble these goals may be, abstinence-based education has been repeatedly proven to be non-effective, particularly when compared to more comprehensive sexual education programs. The result of multiple generations of ineffective sexuality…
- 523 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Collins, Chris, Priya Alagiri, and Todd Summers. "Abstinence Only vs Comprehensive Sex Education." AIDS Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco. Web. .…
- 1702 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays