Friday, April 25, 2008
Researching the Relationship Between Sex Ed and Sexual Activity Among Teens
The Journal of Adolescent Health: Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy, by Pamela Kohler et al.:
In April, the Journal of Adolescent Health published a study examining the effect of formal sex education programs on the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among teens. The researchers noted that abstinence-only programs have no significant effect on "delaying the initiation of sexual activity or in reducing the risk for teen pregnancy" and STIs. They added that when compared with no sex education or abstinence-only education, comprehensive sex education programs were associated with a significantly reduced risk of pregnancy.
See also: BBC News: Has US abstinence policy failed?, by By Jane O'Brien.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/reproductive_rights/2008/04/researching-the.html