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Teen/Youth News Archives
Meeting information for the STD,
HIV & Adolescents Networking Committee
Mobile phone users can send a text message with their zip code to "KNOWIT"
(566948). Within seconds, they will receive a text message containing
information on HIV testing sites near them. This mobile phone service connects
users with CDC’s testing database found at
http://www.HIVtest.org .
ATTN: TEENS & Young ADULTS living with HIV/AIDS
The statewide speakers bureau, A Positive Perspective needs people
living with HIV/AIDS to tell their stories. We are particularly looking for
people ages (18-25) and/or those in the Kalamazoo, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Jackson
and Traverse City areas, but also need speakers in the metropolitan Detroit
area. Speakers are provided training to deliver their messages about their lives
before, during and after diagnosis, what it is like to live with HIV/AIDS, and
how HIV/AIDS has impacted them, and/or their families. Speakers are paid a
stipend for speaking engagements.
If you are interested in becoming a speaker or need further information, please
contact the Michigan AIDS Fund at 248 395 3244 or
info@michaidsfund.org .
Americorps Seeks Qualified Applicants
The Michigan AIDS Fund is looking for people interested in working in the
Detroit area
for AIDS service programs from August 4, 2008 through mid-July, 2009.
If accepted, members receive:A monthly living allowance of $1000 and Basic
health insurance.At the end of the program members receive: An education award
of $4,725.
These are full-time positions. Applicants must be at least 17 years old to
apply.
New Resources:
February News Briefs and Links
New York Times Profiles Documentary Aimed To Help Parents Discuss Sex,
HIV/AIDS With Their Kids
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=50599
The Tween and Teen Dating Violence and Abuse Survey
- CDC Summary
"An Abstinence Program’s Impact on Cognitive Mediators
and Sexual Initiation"
Amer J of Health Behavior Vol. 32; No. 1: P. 60-73, (01.02.2008)
CDC Summary
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS UNITE TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE
WASHINGTON—A diverse coalition of 13 national organizations has
joined in a renewed effort to protect the safety and emotional well-being of
students, including those who are at higher risk because of their sexual
orientation. The group of education, health, mental health and religious
organizations today released "Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and
Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel."
APA Press Release February 14, 2008
Youth Recognized for Innovative Program for HIV
Prevention
While working on a summer internship at an HIV/AIDS prevention
project in Rwanda, Emily Morell from Yale University said she frequently heard
people question the need to diagnose HIV early among infants. “Why worry about
HIV testing when many infants die from malnutrition before their test results
are known?” many asked.
In response that fall, Morell co-founded the non-profit Gardens for Health
International to help HIV-positive Rwandans grow vegetables and fruits. She
received assistance from a local AIDS network to obtain 30 acres of land from
the Rwandan government, and she has plans to extend the holdings.
On Thursday, USA Today named Morell one of its 2008 All-USA College Academic
First Team. She was one of the 20 juniors and seniors the judges chose from
about 500 contestants. Winners of the contest will each receive a $2,500 cash
award. "Their Future Is the World" USA Today , (02.14.2008) Mary Beth Marklein
"Differences in Young People’s Reports of Sexual
Behaviors According to Interview Methodology: A Randomized Trial in India"
Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 1: P. 169-174, (01..2008)
CDC Summary
MDCH and MDE Release White Paper: the
State of
Adolescent Sexual Health in Michigan
The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) and the Michigan
Department of Education (MDE) are pleased to present a comprehensive white
paper, the State of Adolescent Sexual Health in Michigan. This paper represents
one of the first snapshots of integrated data pertaining to the serious
consequences of sexual behavior among Michigan adolescents. The goal of this
document is to inspire future action from policy makers, state and local health
agencies, schools, parents, community-based organizations, the faith community,
and other key stakeholders concerned about critical health issues affecting
adolescents in our state.
February 6, 2008
No Kidding Around
POZ E-Mail Update
Two young girls have shed valuable light on the debate about how and when we
should talk to children about sex. While accompanying their parents to the
International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada in August of 2006, Vineeta and
Sevilla Hennessey, ages 7 and 5 respectively, found themselves chatting with
AIDS experts about the epidemic.
The film, Please Talk to Kids About AIDS, chronicles conversations about
HIV/AIDS between of two young girls—Vineeta and Sevilla Hennessey—and experts
such as Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Laurie Garrett, Nobel Prize-winning AIDS
journalist, Stephen Lewis, former United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS, and
other health experts, activists and people living with HIV/AIDS.
http://www.poz.com/articles/kids_aids_documentary_401_13961.shtml
"Social and Emotional Consequences of Refraining from
Sexual Activity Among Sexually Experienced and Inexperienced Youths in
California"
American Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 1: P. 162-168,
(01..2008)
The objective of the current study was to examine adolescents' social and
emotional consequences of refraining from sexual activity (oral or vaginal sex)
and whether these consequences changed over time and by gender and sexual
experience.
Sex education programs "should address how adolescents can cope with or prevent
negative consequences of refraining from sexual activity, so that decisions to
abstain are rewarding and decisions to engage in sexual activity are motivated
by maturity and readiness," the researchers concluded.
CDC Summary in Prevention Research.
Bush’s Budget Calls for Huge Increase in
Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funds
New York, NY – Today, President Bush submitted his budget for the 2009 Fiscal
Year to Congress. His request included $141 million in funding for
Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) grants, an increase of $27.7 million
from this year. CBAE, which is already the largest federal funding stream for
abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, provides grants that are paid directly
to community organizations by the federal government. In total, the president
asked for $204 million abstinence-only-until-marriage funds; $141 million for
CBAE, $50 million for Title V abstinence-only funding, and $13 million for the
Adolescent Family Life Act. SIECUS Press Release (2/4/08)
ILLINOIS:
"Study Finds School Sex Education Lacking"
Chicago Tribune, (01.31.2008) Stephanie Banchero
Illinois schools are not doing enough to teach adolescents sex education,
according to a new study of 201 public middle and high schools across the state.
The study, commissioned by the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health and Planned
Parenthood, is to be published in the American Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynecology. It calls on doctors to help fill in the gaps created by the schools'
incomplete education. CDC Summary
MARYLAND:
"New Sex Education Lessons Can Stay in Schools"
Washington Post, (02.02.2008) Daniel de Vise
Montgomery County can continue to teach middle and high schoolers the sex
education curriculum it approved last summer, a state court judge ruled
Thursday, dismissing a legal challenge by religious conservatives.
The curriculum places the county at the forefront of a trend toward more candor
in discussing homosexuality in US schools. Opposition groups have been fighting
the lessons since they were first proposed six years ago, arguing they present a
wholly affirming view of homosexuality that goes against the religious rights of
parents who believe it is a sin. CDC Summary
See January Archived News.
Summaries and Reports
UNITED STATES:
"'Tween’ Survey Finds Dating Is Common"
Washington Times , (02.15.2008) Cheryl Wetzstein
A recent survey of 1,043 US “tweens” - children ages 11 to 14 - finds that about
half of them are now or have been in dating relationships. The Tween and Teen
Dating Violence and Abuse Survey was conducted for the National Domestic
Violence Hotline and Liz Claiborne Inc. by Teenage Research Unlimited. Among its
findings:
*The vast majority of respondents said having a boyfriend or girlfriend means
saying “I like you,” talking regularly, and holding hands.
*27 percent said oral sex is expected in a dating relationship.
*28 percent said intercourse is expected in a dating relationship.
*However, only 42 youths said they themselves had gone “further than kissing and
making out.”
*62 percent reported knowing friends their age who had been called derogatory
names by dating partners.
*More than two-thirds of respondents said they know friends who have been
pressured by a dating partner to “do things they didn’t want to do.”
*Of the 505 youths who said they had dated, hundreds reported being subjected to
“controlling” behavior by their partner.
*21 respondents said they had been slapped or hit by a partner.
Sheryl Cates, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, said evidence
suggests that participating in sexual activity before age 14 raises the risk of
dating violence later in the teenage years. Cates said youths need more
education about healthy relationships, and she urged teens, parents, and
teachers to access the violence-prevention materials found at
www.loveisrespect.org .
UNITED STATES:
"An Abstinence Program’s Impact on Cognitive Mediators
and Sexual Initiation"
Amer J of Health Behavior Vol. 32; No. 1: P. 60-73, (01.02.2008) Stan
E. Weed, PhD; Irene H. Ericksen, MS; Allen Lewis, PhD; Gale E. Grant, MA, CPP;
Kathy H. Wibberly, PhD
The objectives in the current study were to evaluate the impact of an abstinence
education program on sexual intercourse initiation and on possible cognitive
mediators of sexual debut for virgin seventh graders in suburban Virginia.
The authors compared measures of sexual behavior and six mediating variables at
three time periods for program participants and a matched comparison group
(n=550), controlling for pretest differences.
At post-test, program students scored significantly better on four of the six
mediators. After one year, program students had a substantially lower risk of
sexual initiation than did comparison students (RR=.457, P=.008).
“The program achieved a significant reduction in teen sexual initiation, and the
role of the cognitive mediators was supported,” the authors concluded.
EDUCATION, HEALTH AND RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS UNITE TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE
APA Press Release
February 14, 2008
WASHINGTON—A diverse coalition of 13 national organizations has
joined in a renewed effort to protect the safety and emotional well-being of
students, including those who are at higher risk because of their sexual
orientation. The group of education, health, mental health and religious
organizations today released "Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and Youth:
A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel."
The publication serves as a guide for employees who confront sensitive issues
involving gay, lesbian and bisexual students. It is intended to help school
administrators foster safe and healthy school environments, in which all
students can achieve to the best of their ability. "Just the Facts" includes the
most recent information from professional health organizations, as well as
up-to-date information on the legal responsibility of school officials to
protect students from anti-gay harassment. "Just the Facts" has been mailed to
all 16,000 public school superintendents in the United States.
The coalition issued the following joint statement:
"The opportunity for students to learn is diminished when they do not feel safe
or supported at school. In addition to assault and harassment, gay, lesbian and
bisexual students experience high rates of emotional distress, suicide attempts
and substance abuse. These factors hinder their emotional and social
development, as well as their ability to succeed in school. It is our
responsibility to provide accurate and factual information. We believe this
publication will be a valuable tool to help educators, administrators and others
concerned with caring for America’s students."
Members of the coalition are the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American
Counseling Association, the American Association of School Administrators, the
American Federation of Teachers, the American Psychological Association, the
American School Counselor Association, the American School Health Association,
the Interfaith Alliance Foundation, the National Association of School
Psychologists, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the
National Association of Social Workers, the National Education Association and
the School Social Work Association of America.
First formed in 1998, the coalition produced the original version of "Just the
Facts" to respond to concerns that school personnel were receiving inaccurate
information on the issue of sexual orientation. The updated publication reflects
the coalition’s continuing concern about the safety and well-being of gay,
lesbian and bisexual students.
(Full text of the booklet is available at
http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/justthefacts.pdf )
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the
largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the
United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's
membership includes more than 148,000 researchers, educators, clinicians,
consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology
and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial
associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and
as a means of promoting human welfare.
See Michigan Resources for making schools Safe
for Sexual Minority Youth.
INDIA:
"Differences in Young People’s Reports of Sexual
Behaviors According to Interview Methodology: A Randomized Trial in India"
Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 1: P. 169-174, (01..2008)
Jaya, DrPH, MBBS; Michelle J. Hindin, PhD; Saifuddin Ahmed, PhD, MBBS
The researchers “compared reports of sexual behaviors given in standard
face-to-face interviews with reports given in audio computer-assisted
self-interviews (ACASIs) and culturally specific interviews” among economically
disadvantaged adolescents ages 15-19 in urban India. The goal was to assess
which interview method led to higher reporting of sexual behaviors.
A randomized trial of 583 boys and 475 girls was conducted in which each
participant was assigned to two interview methods: face-to-face interview and
ACASI or interactive interview. Matched case-control analyses were used to
assess differences in the participant’s reporting on the two methods.
Male participants’ reports varied according to type of sexual behavior and
interview mode, while female participants consistently reported fewer sexual
behaviors in ACASI than in face-to-face interviews. Both female and male
participants reported more sexual behaviors during interactive interviews than
during face-to-face interviews. In interactive interviews, 28 percent of the
males reported having engaged in heterosexual intercourse, compared with 20
percent in face-to-face reporting (P<.01); the corresponding percentages for the
females were 7 percent and 2 percent (P<.01).
“Our results showed that young people were more likely to report sexual
behaviors in culturally specific interactive interviews than in face-to-face
interviews. By contrast, ACASIs did not uniformly lead to higher reporting
levels than did face-to-face interviews,” the researchers concluded.
Bush’s Budget Calls for Huge
Increase in Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funds
President Requests $27.7 Million Increase for Community-Based Abstinence
Education Grants
SIECUS Press Release (2/4/08)
New York, NY – Today, President Bush submitted his budget for the 2009 Fiscal
Year to Congress. His request included $141 million in funding for
Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) grants, an increase of $27.7 million
from this year. CBAE, which is already the largest federal funding stream for
abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, provides grants that are paid directly
to community organizations by the federal government. In total, the president
asked for $204 million abstinence-only-until-marriage funds; $141 million for
CBAE, $50 million for Title V abstinence-only funding, and $13 million for the
Adolescent Family Life Act.
“This proposed increase is the swan song of the Bush administration’s failed
abstinence-only-until-marriage policy,” said William Smith, vice president for
public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United
States (SIECUS). “They know they’re on their way out, so no one can hold them
accountable for continuing to champion this absurd waste of money.”
In Fiscal Year 2008, the president’s budget request included an identical
increase for CBAE funding. The House of Representatives adopted the funding
level at the increased amount, while the Senate decreased funding by the same
level. After months of politicking, Congress passed the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus
in December, keeping CBAE’s funding at the same level as it was in the prior
year.
“2007 was a year when these programs were held up to closer scrutiny, and they
failed miserably,” continued Smith. “16 states have now rejected federal funds
for abstinence-only-until-marriage programming, and study after study shows that
these programs don’t work. This request reveals how out of touch the
administration is with the rest of the country. We sincerely hope that Congress
has the courage to stand up to the Bush Administration and say, loudly and
clearly, ‘No more money.’”
CBAE is one of three federal funding streams for abstinence-only-until-marriage
programs. Combined, these revenue sources have given more than $1.5 billion in
federal funds to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs since their inception.
Please contact Patrick Malone with any questions or comments at (212)819-9770
ext. 316 or pmalone@siecus.org and
visit www.nomoremoney.org to
learn more about funding for failed abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
ILLINOIS:
"Study Finds School Sex Education Lacking"
Chicago Tribune, (01.31.2008) Stephanie Banchero
Illinois schools are not doing enough to teach adolescents sex education,
according to a new study of 201 public middle and high schools across the state.
The study, commissioned by the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health and Planned
Parenthood, is to be published in the American Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynecology. It calls on doctors to help fill in the gaps created by the schools'
incomplete education.
"Schools are an important place where young people get information about health,
including sexuality, but we are seeing serious and troubling holes in that
education," said lead author Stacy Tessler Lindau, an assistant professor of
obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago Medical Center. "Doctors
need to be proactive and initiate discussion about sexuality with adolescents
and their parents."
The study surveyed 335 Illinois sex education teachers. About 30 percent of the
teachers never received training to deliver class lessons and many said they did
not have textbooks and other necessary curriculum materials.
Most respondents said they covered topics such as abstinence, STD prevention,
and HIV/AIDS education. But only 34 percent talked about condom use, and around
68 percent said they discussed birth control with students.
The study points out that almost two-thirds of high school seniors say they are
sexually active, yet many are not receiving information about how to use condoms
and access birth control and other contraceptives. It concludes that federal
funding of abstinence-only education is partly to blame: By law, such programs
can discuss contraception only in terms of failure rates.
"We worry that such restrictive approaches leave students unprepared to prevent
pregnancy or [STDs]," said Lindau.
MARYLAND:
"New Sex Education Lessons Can Stay in Schools"
Washington Post, (02.02.2008) Daniel de Vise
Montgomery County can continue to teach middle and high schoolers the sex
education curriculum it approved last summer, a state court judge ruled
Thursday, dismissing a legal challenge by religious conservatives.
Circuit Court Judge William Rowan III affirmed a 2007 decision by the Maryland
State Board of Education, which determined that it had no right to "second-guess
the appropriateness" of the lessons adopted by the state's largest school
system.
The curriculum places the county at the forefront of a trend toward more candor
in discussing homosexuality in US schools. Opposition groups have been fighting
the lessons since they were first proposed six years ago, arguing they present a
wholly affirming view of homosexuality that goes against the religious rights of
parents who believe it is a sin.
Last month, lawyers for the opposition said teaching that homosexuality is
innate is in violation of a state law that requires school curricula to be
factual. And they challenged a reference to anal intercourse, which they said
violated a prohibition against teaching "erotic techniques" in the classroom.
The school system argued that the opposition groups were trying to edit the
curriculum word by word and usurp the local board's authority.
In a 10-page opinion, Rowan agreed with the county. He stressed the role of
"contemporary community standards" in shaping decisions about what is
appropriate. The school board's use of "innate" was defensible, since its
context is part of a broader discussion of factors that determine sexual
orientation, he said.
"We hope that we can put this litigation behind us now once and for all and move
forward with our primary mission: educating our children," said Superintendent
Jerry D. Weast. A spokesperson for opponents said they are considering whether
to appeal further.
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