Thursday, September 23, 2010
Blog #4 Designing effective birth control programs
In the article from the Module 4 supplemental readings, Sex Education Attitudes and Outcomes among North American Women, authors Monnica Williams and Laura Bonner examined the results of an internet survey of approximately 1400 North American women with a mean age of 19.5 years. Twenty-four percent of the participants reported one or more unplanned pregnancies and 13% reported one or more abortions. Those who received sex education from parents and schools reported fewer pregnancies and fewer abortions than other groups. Among those receiving sex education in schools, there were fewer pregnancies reported when education consisted of combined contraception and abstinence or primarily abstinence. Overall, the participants in this study indicated they were more satisfied with sex education from friends, books and the internet than that received from parents or schools, although apparently, from the results of the data, the sex ed received from parents and schools was more effective since there were fewer pregnancies and abortions in that group.
This is a very brief overview of the study but the results could be used to design more effective sex education programs. Young women who feel comfortable with obtaining birth control information from sources such as the internet and books will most likely not put off looking for the information they need due to reluctance to approach a parent or teacher for that information. The data in the study showed that the most favored method of obtaining birth control information was from friends. Of course, if the friends are young and mostly uneducated about birth control, then it becomes a case of the blind leading the blind. I think a really valid way of disseminating birth control information, including abstinence as an option, is through peer education. There are always mature and capable individuals in every population group who can be trained to teach their peers and to refer them to other sources, such as reliable internet sites and books, if further details are needed. The peer educators would need to be educated to recognize situations which would require the involvement of an adult supervisor or parent and trained in techniques to guide that individual into seeking parent or teacher assistance. Finding creative options for effective birth control programs for young people takes educators with open minds and the ability to visualize future effective programs, no matter what methods it takes to get there.
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I have to agree with you. More children are learning sexual education from incorrect sources. If a child had to be counseled by another child regarding sex education with limited knowledge, children may have severe consequences as a result. Speaking openly with our children on their educational levels may make a difference in their choices. The preference for abstinence is, in my opinion, every parents hope; however, parents and health educators need to be involved by educating children in a positive manner in order for the information to be affective. Peer education may also be an excellent suggestion as well.
ReplyDeleteJeri,
ReplyDeleteThis is my third attempt to respond. Anyways, I myself have been somewhat against sex education being taught in school and the distribution of condoms in nurses offices. I felt that it encouraged students to go out and have sex, but this was when I was attending high school myself and did not realize that it is better to give them protection and teach them how to make safe decisions than not to. I was raised in a Baptist home and was taught from the bible that sex outside of marriage is wrong, I was raised knowing that sex virginity is a special thing and you should hold on to it for as long as you can, so I strongly believe in abstinence. I know and I have experienced what sex can do to a young woman self-esteem if she loses voluntarily or involuntarily.
Yes studies have shown that obtaining sex education from schools and parents has reduced the number of unplanned pregnancies, but I fell that efforts should be taken to train adolescence in educating their peers. Studies have shown that adolescence who hear about there friends abstaining from sex or practicing safe sex are more likely to do so. In addition, these trained peer counselors also benefit from training as well, they gain a sense of self worth, better understanding of the dangers that are lurking around the corners due to risky sexual behavior. They are given a voice and they are given the tools to give back and get involved with their community. So yes continue sex education in school and parents should reinforce it at home instead of shielding them from it, but also make an effort to get the kids involved.
Kitara
Hi Jeri
ReplyDeleteYeah,I had the opportunity to group up a little faster than I wanted to. I realized that parents only want the best for there children, but children do not realize that until something as unfortunate as STD,HIV,or pregnancy happens. On top of be raised in a baptist family with strong morals, seeing my friends become pregnant in high school and having to drop out reinforced the teachings of my grandmother and mother. Sex eduction in schools only talk about practicing safe sex, but they do not talk about practicing safe relationships. I wanted to wait for God to send someone why way before committing to something as serious as sex. My fiance has the same beliefs and morals as I do and that is important in a relationship.Because once you have slept with someone you have slept with everybody he or she has slept with. If a guy or a girl is not willing to wait until he/she is ready then it is not worth it. I think schools and other health educators should start implementing that in their sex education. I made the mistake of starting a relationship with someone who did not share the same values as I did and I paid for it with rape, I would hate to see anyone hurt that way. Sex is sacred and so is your body respect it.
Thanks Jeri for reposting