Are you IN THE KNOW?
TEENS
The term “teens” refers to
15–19-year-olds, unless otherwise specified.
Sources of Information About Sex
Who do
American teens trust the most for information on sex?
Answer
American
teens rank parents, peers and the media as important sources of sexual health
information.[65]
Do U.S.
states require that formal sex education curricula be medically accurate?
Answer
Only a
handful of states require that the information presented in sex education
classes be medically accurate and factual (14 states, as of October 2011).[66]
What
subjects are usually included in formal U.S. sex education curricula?
Answer
Virtually
all teens receive formal instruction about STIs, and more than eight in 10
receive instruction on abstinence. However, about one-third of teens do not
receive any instruction about contraception.[67]
Do U.S.
teens who receive abstinence education also receive information about birth
control?
Answer
Not always.
About one in four teens (23% of females and 28% of males) receive abstinence
education without receiving any formal instruction about birth control.[68]
Worldwide,
do teens get comprehensive sex education in schools or other formal settings?
Answer
Most often
they do not. Teens in many parts of the world do not get comprehensive sex
education. Many also report feeling shy about obtaining information and
contraception from formal settings, particularly in countries where some
influential groups believe that such education encourages sexual promiscuity.[69]
What impact
does comprehensive sex education have on teen sexual behavior worldwide?
Answer
Comprehensive
sex education, which includes information on both contraception and abstinence,
often results in delayed sexual activity, lower frequency of sex and fewer
sexual partners.[49] This type of sex education can also increase condom or
contraceptive use and reduce risky sexual behaviors. Receiving comprehensive sex education
does not lead teens to have sex earlier.
What impact
does abstinence-only sex education have on teens?
Answer
A review
of 13 commonly used abstinence-only curricula found that 11 had incorrect,
misleading or distorted information.[70] Some abstinence-only programs have
been shown to deter contraceptive use among sexually active teens, increasing
their risk of pregnancy and STIs.[67] Moreover, there is no strong evidence
that abstinence-only programs influence teens to delay sexual activity, to have
fewer sexual partners or, if already sexually active, to become abstinent.[71]
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