Comprehensive Sex Education

Improved Essays
Show More
Stanger-Hall, K. F., & Hall, D. W. (2011). Abstinence-Only
Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S. PLoS ONE, 6(10).

Principle Findings
In this journal article, the author’s main goal is to analyze the effectiveness of abstinence-only education versus comprehensive sex education. The US ranks number one among developed nations in teen pregnancy and the rate of sexually transmitted diseases despite the US having similar cultural and socioeconomic patterns in teen pregnancy rates as other countries. The difference is believed to be because of sex education. In Europe, access to sex health information and services for everyone including teenagers is easier than it is in the US. Abstinence-only …show more content…
In 2005, more than 7,600 people died each day from AIDS- related causes and about 38.6 million people worldwide are infected with HIV. HIV and AIDS are a global epidemic. Strategies must be put in place in order to lower the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Abstinence-only programs are a possible solution. These programs teach the social, health and psychological benefits of abstaining from sex. They teach that sex outside of marriage is both harmful and morally wrong. However, abstinence-only programs that aim to prevent HIV differ from the standard abstinence only programs. Abstinence-only programs, which focus on preventing HIV, are more likely to discuss the risks of oral sex, anal sex and other means of contracting the disease while the standard abstinence- only programs would only discuss abstinence from vaginal sex as a way to prevent pregnancy.
Critical Thinking

After thoroughly reading this article, it became clear that this study was heteronormative meaning that the authors seemed to indicate that they focused on abstinence-only education in regards to heterosexual adolescents. While this is not a fallacy, it does bring the effectiveness of the study into question. The authors state that their research was to measure how effective abstinence-only education was on HIV prevention. A large number of those in the HIV community are homosexuals so it seems …show more content…
While the rate of adolescent pregnancy has decreased, teen pregnancy, HIV, and STIs are still major public health issues in the United States (Chin et al, 2012).. Abstinence only education focuses on teaching adolescents to refrain from having sex until they are married while comprehensive sex education discusses the benefits of abstinence, birth control, condom use and other ways to stay protected. While abstinence-only education is the most popular, the positive effects of such sex education have shown to be minimal at best (Chin et al,

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Abstinence-Only Sex Education
    • 1024 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Abstinence-Only Sex Education

    Additionally many studies have taken a large scale approach, looking at trends across the United States. Stanger-Hall and Hall (2011) investigated the change in teen pregnancy rates as states implemented abstinence-only sex education. Even after accounting for confounding variables such as socioeconomic status or access to family planning services, they found that the increased emphasis on abstinence-based sex education was positively correlated with teenage pregnancy. This was shown on a national level, but also state based. The teenage pregnancy rates are highest in the states that heavily require abstinence…

    • 1024 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Essay On Abstinence-Only Education
    • 1395 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Essay On Abstinence-Only Education

    Criticizers of abstinence-only curriculums think that abstinence-only programs are ineffective at reducing the initiation of adolescents participating in sexual activities. Rather than research showing that abstinence programs are not effective, there are simply few studies that have examined the impact of abstinence-only education on student sexual behavior (Denny & Young, 2006). The studies that are available show that abstinence-only curriculums are effective in increasing knowledge and decreasing sexual behavior. The following section will present studies that examine abstinence-only sexual education. Family Action Model for Empowerment (FAME), an abstinence-only program, was created for parents and teens to develop more open communication, be able…

    • 1395 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Elizabeth Pisani Chapter Summary
    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Elizabeth Pisani Chapter Summary

    The author suggests that many efforts and messages of HIV prevention are wasting money (inefficient use of funds). A. What efforts/messages have been tried, and B. Why have they not been successful in HIV prevention? (what have we done wrong?) 3.…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    A Strategy Kfires, Increasing Teen Births
    • 2282 Words
    • 10 Pages

    A Strategy Kfires, Increasing Teen Births

    According to this article, “There are one hundred and twelve pregnancies for every one-thousand young women aged 15-19, resulting in 61 births, 36 abortions, and 15 miscarriages.” The reason for the schools wanting to push for abstinence programs is because according to a survey done by the Department of Health and Human Services that the decrease in teenaged pregnancies may continue. In 1995, fifty percent of women aged 15-19 engaged in sexual activity, down from fifty-five percent in 1990. Among boys, the 1995 figure was 55 percent, down from 60 percent in 1988. However, the problems with these abstinence programs are that they cost way too much and might give misleading information.…

    • 2282 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Benefits Of Funding Planned Parenthood
    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Benefits Of Funding Planned Parenthood

    Funding Planned Parenthood Some people are trying to shut down an organization that’s helped many women. They have taught young children and teens about their bodies and the changes from childhood to adulthood. They have taught people about safe sex and using protection against Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) or unwanted pregnancy. They have taught people about abusive relationships and the spectrum of sexuality.…

    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Abstinence-Only Education
    • 1496 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Abstinence-Only Education

    In fact, evidence is mounting showing that these programs frequently do more harm than good, and are actually completely ineffective against the issues they are meant to prevent: teen pregnancy and the spread of STDs. In addition to this, these programs often ignore LGBT students, and harm victims of sexual assault. To begin with, Abstinence-Only programs frequently teach medically inaccurate information. For example, here’s a quote from the 2002 “Why kNOw” Abstinence Education Program Teacher 's Manual: “The condom has a 14% failure rate in preventing pregnancy” (Rodriguez).…

    • 1496 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Abstinence-Only Program Analysis
    • 1215 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Abstinence-Only Program Analysis

    In this paper, I will be arguing that abstinence only programs do not properly educate adolescents on sexual activity because they do not sufficiently impact teen sexual behavior, rates of HIV infection, or young people’s sexual health. One of the major problems with the abstinence-only program is that it hardly impacts teen sexual behavior. Advocates of the program argue that the adolescents educated using this method will sustain from sex for a longer period of time than adolescents educated using other methods of sexual education; although studies show differently. In writing about the possible change in sexual education teaching methods in the near future, Heather Boonstra says, “A systematic look at the federal abstinence-only effort concluded in 2007 that none of the programs it evaluated were effective in stopping or even delaying sex” (Boonstra).…

    • 1215 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Abstinence-Only Model
    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Abstinence-Only Model

    Abstinence-only sex education has been a social problem that has existed for a long time now. In 1996 there was a Welfare Reform law policy put in place. The main goal of this policy was and still is to reduce to teen pregnancy. This approach was considered to be “the healthies strategy to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease” (Solomon-Fears).…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Abstinence-Only Education
    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Abstinence-Only Education

    This study is important to the discussion of abstinence-only education. First, abstinence-only education increase teen pregnancy and STD rates. Second, it also shapes how teens view sex and their sexuality. The strengths of this article are that it addresses how teens in abstinence-only education form their sexuality from these programs. The messages taught are that sexuality is violent, victimizing, and reflects morality.…

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Adolescence Spurts
    • 1141 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Adolescence Spurts

    Adults against this education believe it will add sexual interest to teens who are not currently sexually involved. Programs that both encourage abstinence and provide basic information about reproduction and contraception appear to influence teens to delay sexual intercourse and to use contraception when they become sexually active (BEE BOYD…

    • 1141 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Planned Parenthood Pros And Cons
    • 2166 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Planned Parenthood Pros And Cons

    In turn, abstinence based sexual education does not teach about things such as contraception or safer practices. Not to mention that abstinence-only education has stopped being funded federally since 2009 after evidence that abstinence based sexual education is ineffective was accumulated (Stranger-Hall & Hall, 2011). For example, teens that reside in states that prescribe abstinence education are more likely to become pregnant. Abstinence education in the U. S does not actually cause abstinence abiding behavior (Stanger-Hall & Hall, 2011). Thus, showing that abstinence based sexual education is not only, not effective, but it could also be…

    • 2166 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Essay On Women's Reproductive Rights
    • 1478 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Essay On Women's Reproductive Rights

    Women’s reproductive rights are a human right that cannot be taken away. Due to religion and/or lack of education, women do not have the freedom and privacy to choose what is best for their bodies. This social injustice is highly neglected upon because people feel uncomfortable talking about a topic that millions of women struggle with on the daily basis. Although women’s rights have improved drastically, women around the world still face oppression on a daily basis and women’s reproductive rights are rarely enforced.…

    • 1478 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Argumentative Essay: Should Sex Education Be In Schools?
    • 1124 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Argumentative Essay: Should Sex Education Be In Schools?

    According to The Science of Psychology, “Two research reviews found that abstinence-only programs do not delay the initiation of sexual intercourse and do not reduce HIV risk behaviors.” (King, 2014, p.…

    • 1124 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Should Sex Education Be Taught In Public Schools
    • 1800 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Should Sex Education Be Taught In Public Schools

    Abstinence-only classes are not as effective as comprehensive sex education classes because most students only hear the fact that condoms are not 100% effective. Therefore, they use condoms less often, which in turn can lead to diseases and pregnancy. Comprehensive sex education throughout public school can show students how to prevent HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy. Sexual activity among teens cannot be eliminated, but a difference can be made by implementing sex education as a required curriculum in public schools as early as elementary school. The sex education classes can take the place of parents who do not know how to communicate with their children or are not around enough to keep them on the right path.…

    • 1800 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Benefits Of Abstinence Of Sex Education
    • 1336 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Benefits Of Abstinence Of Sex Education

    Yes, abstinence would be the safest, but through the years this method of teaching has been proven false. For decades, the government has been spending taxpayers money for “Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage” programs. “Congress funneled a total of over one-and-a-half billion taxpayer dollars into abstinence- only-until-marriage programs and the funding continues today” (A History of Federal…). They continue to do this even though there is overwhelming evidence that it is highly ineffective, in many cases doing more harm than good.…

    • 1336 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings