frigidweirdo
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- Mar 7, 2014
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From a Masters thesis:
The results show there is no significant difference in teenage pregnancy rates or teenage birth rates between states that require public high schools to provide sex or STD/HIV education programs and those that do not. There was also no significant difference between states that provide comprehensive sex education and those that provide abstinence-only or abstinence-based sex education.However, the results did show factors such as race and median household income have a significant impact on teenage pregnancy rates and teenage birth rates.Education doesn't work. It's not a problem of lack of education, it's a problem of race, as is so much in America.
From the same thesis
"Three general themes have been identified throughout the research on this topic. (1) public high schools can be a valuable resource for information on sex; (2) public high schools’ sex education programs can help delay the early/frequent initiation of sexual behavior, or 6 increase contraceptive use; and (3) in order for a public high school sex education program to be effective, it must be based on a theoretical approach that demonstrates a positive impact on teenage sex behaviors. If a public high school sex education program is based on a theoretical framework, it will be more effective at producing intended outcomes (Saunders, 2005). Positive behavior change is defined as any behavior that can prevent teenage pregnancy, whether that be abstaining from sex or increasing the use of contraceptives. "
"According to Kost et al. (2010), the following are the five states with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in 2005: New Mexico (93), Nevada (90), Arizona (89), Texas (88), and Mississippi (85). Of the states with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, only Nevada mandates sex education (Guttmacher Institute, 2005). "
"The five states with the lowest rates of teenage pregnancy were: New Hampshire (33), Vermont (40), Maine (43), Minnesota
(43), North Dakota (45) (Kost et al., 2010). Of the states with the lowest rates of teenage 8 pregnancy North Dakota is the only state that does not mandate sex education (Guttmacher Institute, 2005). "
"One of the biggest reasons for the decrease in teenage pregnancy rates is improved contraceptive use (Santelli, Lindberg, Finer, & Singh, 2007). In developed countries where teenage pregnancy rates are lower, the availability and use of contraceptives has been a key indicator of teenage pregnancy rates. "
"Of the states that mandate sex education, public high schools that stress abstinence have some of the highest levels of teenage pregnancy (Kost et al., 2010). Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas all require that abstinence be stressed in sex education classes and those states have some of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy (Kost et al., 2010). Teenage sexual behavior may be influenced by the types of sex education programs in place in public high schools."
"Laws restricting minors’ access to oral contraceptive services may be a contributing factor to higher teenage pregnancy rates. "
"The total mean teenage birth rate was lower in states that mandated STD/HIV education. The analysis indicated that the mean teenage birth rate for Blacks and Whites was lower among states that mandated STD/HIV education. Among Hispanic teenagers, the mean teenage birth rate was higher among states that mandated STD/HIV education."
This is interesting. I wonder how much religion has a part to play, Hispanics generally being Catholic which views sex as bad. Also I wonder how much of it has to do with geography and things like that. This thesis doesn't explain.
" A high median household income was attributed with a decrease in teenage pregnancy rates and teenage birth rates."
"Of those same 29 states, the mean teenage birth rate was lowest in states categorized as comprehensive which is defined as a state that covers abstinence and contraception. These results are consistent with Kirby (2007) who concluded that there was no strong evidence for the effectiveness of abstinence-only education programs."
"The mean teenage pregnancy rate was highest among states that were categorized as abstinence-only. "
So, to sum up your source.
Abstinence only doesn't work, education that includes talking about contraception works the best. Education works.
Just a little tip: It might be worth READING your sources before you actually post them.