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Teen/Youth NewsNews Briefs
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Emerging Answers 2007: Summary |
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Emerging Answers 2007: Full Report |
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New Research Identifies Effective Teen Sex Education
Programs
and Other Interventions
A growing number of sex education programs that support both
abstinence and the use of contraception for sexually active teens have now shown
positive effects in delaying first intercourse, improving contraceptive use, and
preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases among teens, according to
a new report released today by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and
Unplanned Pregnancy. Other interventions—several that mention sex little or not
at all—have also shown effective results.
Emerging Answers 2007: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy
and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, by researcher Douglas Kirby, Ph.D., is the
most comprehensive review to date of evaluation research that answers the
question, what programs work to prevent teen pregnancy and STDs. The report’s
findings are based on a total of 115 program evaluations.
Between the Lines covers Dr. Kathryn Wright retirement - See Michigan News Around the State.
VIRGINIA:
"Kaine Cuts Abstinence-Only Program Funds"
Washington Post, (11.13.2007) Tim Craig
Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) has closed a budget shortfall with
a plan to cut, among other items, $250,000 in annual state funding to match
federal grants for 14 groups providing abstinence-only programs. The plan to
eliminate the funds has been public for six weeks, said Delacey Skinner, Kaine's
communications director.
Kaine said he made the cut because research shows effective sex education
programs include information about contraception and condoms to prevent STDs and
unwanted pregnancy.
"The governor supports abstinence-based education, but the governor wants to see
us funding programs that are evidence-based," said Skinner, noting the state
would offer "more comprehensive" sex education.
Schools and organizations that deliver local-based abstinence curricula without
federal support are not affected by Kaine's decision, which makes Virginia the
14th state to forego supporting abstinence-only education.
"There is no evidence that abstinence-only programs equip teens with the
education they need to delay sexual activity or prevent unintended pregnancies
or the spread of sexually transmitted disease," said Becky Reid, an organizer
with Planned Parenthood Health Systems. Planned Parenthood, which lauded Kaine's
move, is urging states to eliminate abstinence-only programs.
Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) said he would try to get the General Assembly
to overturn Kaine's budget amendment. Conservative House members vowed to do the
same when the Assembly convenes in January. Several social conservatives
pointedly observed that Kaine's announcement was made after the Nov. 6 election.
"It is extremely disappointing that Governor Kaine, who ran claiming to be a
moderate and touted his faith, has chosen to get in bed with a group like
Planned Parenthood," said Victoria Cobb, executive director of the Family
Foundation.
AUSTRALIA; NEW ZEALAND:
"New Trial Vaccine to Block 90 Percent of Cervical Cancer"
Australian Associated Press, (11.12.2007) Tamara McLean
An experimental human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is now being tested in female
New Zealand and Australian volunteers ages 18-26, and researchers are hoping it
could prevent 90 percent of cancer-causing HPV strains.
The drug firm CSL is testing the HPV vaccine candidate, which uses the same
technology as the HPV vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix. HPV types 16 and 18, which
cause 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, are blocked by both Gardasil and
Cervarix, while Gardasil also protects against HPV types that cause most genital
warts. Both vaccines are covered under Australia's National Immunization
Program.
The trial vaccine, however, targets additional HPV strains that together cause
90 percent of cervical cancer cases. It is not yet known whether simply adding
targeted HPV strains will boost the protection a vaccine offers, said Professor
Ian Frazer, the Queensland scientist who developed the technology used in HPV
vaccines.
In the clinical trials, volunteers will receive either Gardasil or the
experimental HPV vaccine and be tracked over three years. Bringing the
successful vaccine to market would take at least five more years, said Dr. Peter
Richmond, head of the Vaccine Trials Group of the Perth-based Telethon Institute
for Child Health Research.
Ohio Decides To Apply For Federal Funds Aimed at Preventing HIV Among
Teenagers
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=48816
UNITED STATES:
"Report: Abstinence not Curbing Teen Sex"
Associated Press, (11.07.2007) H. Josef Hebert
Sex education programs that focus solely on abstinence do not affect teenage
sexual behavior, according to a study released Wednesday by the nonpartisan
National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "At present there
does not exist any strong evidence that any abstinence program delays the
initiation of sex, hastens the return to abstinence or reduces the number of
sexual partners" among teens, the report concluded.
While the study said abstinence programs appear to have a limited impact, it
found that more comprehensive sex education programs are showing "positive
outcomes" - such as teens "delaying the initiation of sex, reducing the
frequency of sex, reducing the number of sexual partners, and increasing condom
or contraceptive use." "Two-thirds of the 48 comprehensive programs that
supported both abstinence and the use of condoms and contraceptives for sexually
active teens had positive behavior effect," the report said.
The study also sought to address "myths propagated by abstinence-only
advocates," including that comprehensive sex education programs promote
promiscuity; hasten sexual debut or increase the frequency of sex; and send a
confusing message to adolescents. None of these was found to be true, wrote
Douglas Kirby, a senior research scientist at ETR Associates.
Instead, comprehensive programs improved teens' knowledge about the risks and
consequences of STDs and pregnancy and gave them more "confidence in their
ability to say 'no' to unwanted sex."
While the study's sponsors praised Kirby for his "thorough research" and his
"fair and evenhanded" approach, they acknowledged that ETR Associates developed
and markets several of the curricula reviewed in the report. In addition, some
of the previous studies reviewed were written by Kirby.
ILLINOIS:
"Youth HIV/AIDS Forum on Tap"
Windy City Times (Chicago), (11.07.2007)
The growth of HIV/AIDS among Illinois teens will be the topic of a forum
presented Friday by the Children's Place Association (CPA). Also on the agenda
will be a discussion of a law still on the books in Illinois, possibly the only
one of its kind in the United States, requiring that the school principal be
notified if one of his or her students tests HIV-positive.
The law was passed in 1987 and modified in 1988, a period identified by CPA
spokesperson David Ormsby as "the height of the ignorance about HIV/AIDS." The
statute authorizes disclosure to the HIV-positive student's teacher and school
nurse in addition to the principal, posing risks to the student's
confidentiality, he said.
The law creates a serious barrier to testing, said CPA's Cathy Krieger, adding
that it needs to be changed to facilitate the state's fight against AIDS among
teens.
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) said she was "alarmed" when she learned
of the statute, which she called "culturally insensitive." Feigenholtz plans to
take part in the meeting and said she will work with AIDS activists to have the
law repealed.
In addition to the burden imposed by the notification law, Krieger said other
concerns for teens include safeguarding their privacy while they are still under
their parents' insurance.
The forum will take place Friday, Nov. 9, at the Chicago InterContinental Hotel,
505 N. Michigan Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit
www.childrens-place.org.
"Central American Nations Warn Against AIDS Among
Young People"
Xinhua News Agency, (11.07.2007)
A three-day regional AIDS conference concluded Tuesday in Managua, Nicaragua,
with a multi-country agreement to take steps to halt the spread of the disease,
particularly among young people. "For Equality, Diversity, and
Non-Discrimination" was the theme of the fifth Central American Conference on
AIDS. A statement from UNAIDS noted the region is experiencing Latin America's
highest HIV/AIDS rates. It warned: "In 2010, the Central American epidemic could
reach an infection rate of 2 percent in the adult population."
UNITED STATES:
"Poll: Most OK Birth Control for Schools"
Associated Press, (11.01.2007) Alan Fram CDC Summary (11/5/07)
A new AP-Ipsos poll shows 67 percent of Americans support letting public schools
provide contraceptives to students. Of those in favor, 37 percent would limit
access to those whose parents had consented, while 30 percent support giving
birth control to all who ask. The survey did not distinguish between providing
contraceptives to girls or boys.
The poll, conducted in late October, was prompted by a Portland, Maine, school
board decision to let a middle school health center provide students with full
contraceptive services. Most students at the school are ages 11-13, and they
would not have to tell their parents about services they receive.
Minorities, older, and lower-income persons were likeliest to support parental
consent for contraceptives, while those who favored no restrictions tended to be
younger and from cities or suburbs. People who did not want schools to offer any
birth control were likelier to be white and higher-income earners.
According to Nancy Brener, a health scientist with CDC, less than 1 percent of
middle schools and just 5 percent of high schools make condoms available to
students.
The poll found people closely divided over whether providing teens with
contraception encourages them to have sex, with 49 percent believing it would
not lead to sexual intercourse, while 46 percent thought it would. Though men
and women had similar views about whether to provide students with
contraceptives, 55 percent of women said it would not encourage sexual
intercourse, compared to 43 percent for men.
Asked when young people should first be allowed access to birth control, most
said ages 16-18. Only a third chose age 15 and younger.
The telephone survey of 1,004 adults was conducted Oct. 23-25. The poll's margin
of sampling error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
"Some Academic Standards Drafted"
Washington Post, (11.02.2007) Theola Labbé
The District of Columbia agency in charge of setting academic standards recently
drafted proposals for all grades on world languages, physical education, and
health, which includes sex education. The Office of the State Superintendent of
Education released the proposed standards, which were crafted with help from the
D.C.-based nonprofit education consulting company StandardsWork.
Among the sex education standards drafted, fifth-grade students would be taught
to resist pressure to become sexually active and would learn about behaviors
that pose HIV infection risks. In eighth grade, students would be expected to
learn about sexual orientation, and that "as people grow and develop they may
begin to feel romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of a different
gender and/or to people of the same gender."
Some District youths are already sexually active by sixth grade, said Adam
Tenner, executive director of Metro Teen AIDS, citing Howard University
research. By sixth grade, 36 percent of boys and 8 percent of girls reported
they had engaged in sex. "Even if that's double what's really happening, the
rates are really alarming," said Tenner, who advocates a comprehensive sex
education response.
In 2005, citizen groups sued to block Montgomery County, Md.'s inclusion of
sexual orientation in sex education lessons. A federal judge stopped the lessons
from being implemented, ruling they were viewpoint-exclusive. The system revised
the curriculum, and it is being taught this fall.
The D.C. State Board of Education has set a public hearing on the education
proposals for Nov. 28, and it will accept public comments until Nov. 30. "We
want the public to weigh in," said Robert C. Bobb, the board's president. The
board could vote on the standards in December, he said.
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