INDIVIDUAL TEENS WHAT WE KNOW WORKS
Education. Evidence-based, comprehensive, medically accurate reproductive health curricula have been demonstrated through years of research to have an impact on changing behavior, thereby reducing teen pregnancy rates. Limiting availability to such programs—or offering abstinence-only programs—effectively limits a teen’s ability to make informed decisions for themselves. Historically, Texas school districts have supported abstinence-only education or given none. More than 80 percent of Texas school districts in the 2015-16 school year taught abstinence-only or nothing at all when it came to sex education: • Abstinence-only: 58.3% • No sex education: 25.1% • Abstinence-plus: 16.6%.13 The fact that Texas Counties are 4 out of the top 5 Largest Counties in the US ranked by teen birth rate demonstrates this.
THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PROGRAMS TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCIES. THE PROGRAM I PUT MY KIDS IN IS ONLY FOR AGES 6-14 YEARS OLD. THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROGRAM FOR OLDER TEENS, TOO. MAYBE I HAVEN’T LOOKED ENOUGH.” –PARENT INTERVIEWEE
In an information vacuum, teens are more prone to rely on misinformed friends, believe myths about preventing pregnancy, or engage in “magical thinking” that allows them to believe an unplanned pregnancy cannot happen to them. By investing in comprehensive, medically accurate sexual and reproductive health education programs that are age-appropriate at the elementary, middle school and high school levels, entire communities will experience benefits ranging from higher self-efficacy and graduation rates to increased averaged earnings. Dallas educators surveyed by Texas Woman’s University reported the following issues or concerns related to teen pregnancy prevention: » 46% of Dallas teachers, administrators, counselors, and case managers surveyed said that teen pregnancy was an issue on their campuses » 23% of this group said they had “often” been approached by a student needing sexual health advice » Only 15% felt that their school’s sex education was “enough to meet the needs of youth” » 69% cited lack of education about contraceptive use as the greatest risk for unintended pregnancy » Lack of access to contraception and lack of career/education goals were cited by 46% as the greatest risk for unintended pregnancy The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) has extensively researched different approaches to sexuality education, and identified certain elements that are effective at reducing risky behavior and teen pregnancy, which include: » Helping teens become effective decision-makers; » Information on the benefits of abstinence, along with information on how to effectively prevent pregnancy if teens do choose to have sex; » Medically accurate information on anatomy, pregnancy, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs); » An emphasis on family (including parent/caregiver-child) communication; and » Information on the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
ntarupt.org • 11
