Results of Sex Education

In high school I never went through a sex education class, it was never offered. According to “Early Sexual Initiation and Subsequent Sex- Related Risks among Urban Minority Youth: The reach for Healthy Study”, sexual intercourse in minority youth has decreased. This article shows the problems that can occur in having unprotected sex such as pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and emotional stress.

            In Douglas Kirby’s journal “Abstinence, Sex, and STD/HIV Education Programs for Teens: Their Impact on Sexual Behavior, Pregnancy, and Sexually Transmitted Disease” he introduces the fact that most sexually active teens accumulate more sex partner’s as they become older. It is said by Kirby that mainly condoms and oral contraceptives are more common among teens. Since the mid 1980’s studies have shown that the use of contraceptives has increased, mainly because of HIV epidemic. However Kirby also notes that the use of contraceptives decrease with age and experience, and the longer a couple is together they are more likely to not use a condom. Not only adults but teenagers are not consistently keeping up with their contraceptives, making them more prone to pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

            Sex education classes are being taught and they are covering a wide variety of areas focusing mainly on education about sex rather than providing contraceptives. This program is meant for middle school and high school as well as parents who have teenage children. This program wants to create health goals and help to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. As well as showing risks that can happen and how they can avoid these risks. These classes will be taught in a safe social environment for the students, and will include multiple activates to help prevent these risks.

            Some parents feel the need to talk to their own kids about sex but they feel uncomfortable doing so. This program that is offered helps kids and parents communicate and help educate youth on sex. Condom use is being taught and remarkably the condom use among teens has gone up, as well as self-reported pregnancy has gone down, and the self-reported sexually transmitted disease rate has decreased as well. Studies show that this program is working for youth bringing up the question “Why isn’t this program being offered in all schools or communities?”