Contrary to prior research, teenagers who receive formal sex education in school are far less likely to have sexual intercourse at an earlier age than those in an abstinence-only program, Reuters reports (news.yahoo.com, 12/19).
The study—which followed more than 2,000 teens between the ages of 15 and 19—found that teenage boys who had sex education were 71 percent less likely to have sex before the age of 15, while teenage girls who had sex education were 59 percent less likely to have sex before turning 15.
“Sex education seems to be working,” CDC epidemiologist and study leader Trisha Mueller told Reuters. “It seems to be especially effective for populations that are usually at high risk.”
According to the story, the study also showed that teenage boys who had formal sex education were three times more likely to use contraceptives during the first time they had sex.
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
Previous Comments:
comments 1 - 3 (of 3 total)
Jason 1948, Snowflake, AZ, 2007-12-27 18:59:17
This just shows that keeping curions teenagers in the dark, and preaching abstinence only, is not the best way to prevent early sexual experimentation and the hazards that go along with it - pregnancy and std's.
And yet the religious establishment continues to hold to its preconceived notions, in spite of thousands of years of failure.
Let's see the abstinence-only crowd try to refute these findings!
Arvin Eyre, Cascade, Montana, 2007-12-27 14:28:33
OH, dugh, I was 21 before haveing my first sex experiance. I also had a good sex education as an 8th grader. Wake up America
D.Williams, Houston, 2007-12-27 14:06:05
These results are not surprising. Prevention education is extremely important and cheaper than having to respond the experiences that arrive when there is no education. It is just unfortunate that that preventive education that has to do with sex is not provided at time it is needed.
The effort to put the information should continue to be made available.
This goes for all prevention education in health specifically.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
Woman of the Month is supported by exclusive advertising from Gilead.
Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
