This taboo topic has been a source of controversy for decades. Do we teach our children about having safe sex? Or teach them not to have sex at all? We never knew which was more effective at decreasing teen pregnancies and the transmission of sexual diseases, until now.
In this landmark study, recently published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found that abstinence only sex education programs are more effective than other initiatives at keeping young students from having sex. The average age of the participants in the study was 12.2 years, and 53.5 percent were female. The population of the study included 662 students in sixth and seventh grade.
Researchers were interested in finding the effectiveness of two programs including abstinence only and safe sex education. Prior research tells us that adolescents who initiate intercourse at younger ages (12-14) have a greater risk of sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy and also report having sex with multiple partners.
The study found that only 30 percent of the students who received an eight hour abstinence lesson participated in sexual intercourse within two years.
In contrast, 50 percent of the students that received an eight hour lesson on safe sex, condoms and birth control methods had sexual intercourse within two years.
Even though President Obama cut funding for abstinence only programs for 2010, the federal government had been investing heavily in abstinence education since 1996.
All teenagers are at an increased risk of contracting HIV, sexually transmitted infections and having teen pregnancies, however, another study noted that the risk is greatest among African Americans. Close to 70 percent of adolescents with HIV are African American. Rates of sexually transmitted infections and teen pregnancy are highest among African American adolescents.
The results of the two studies gives educators the information needed to teach our children sex education in the most effective way. Progress requires not only good programs in schools and in the community, but also informed and active parents, good health services, and reaffirmed values.
SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/02/abstinence.study/index.html