How can sexual education programs be improved to further improve the health of a country?
INTRODUCTION
Sex education has become increasingly normalised in the twenty-first century. Attitudes to sex have evolved as society becomes more open to discussions about relationships and sexual health. Simultaneously, the rate of teen pregnancy has dropped since the previous generation, suggesting that either teenagers are having sex later, or using contraception more effectively. As sex education is prevalent, however not compulsory in many of today’s high schools, the country must question the value of this program – and the impacts on the students who undertake it. The sexual health of an individual is intrinsically connected to the overall physical and mental health of the country. The health of individuals makes up the health of a population – it seems quite clear that, in a perfect world, sexual education would improve national health. Countries around the world have different attitudes towards sex education, and opinions on the most effective way to teach it – and the overall health of these populations is equally as diverse. Australia as a nation must investigate the effects of sexual education, to ensure its program is the most effective.
COMPARE DIFFERENT TACTICS ROUND THE WORLD
European countries have the lowest rates of teen pregnancies, with fewer than four births per thousand. These countries include Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy. These countries’
Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began in the U.S. in the early 1980s the issue of sex education for American youth has had the attention of the nation. There are about 400,000 teen births every year in the U.S, with about 9 billion in associated public costs. STI contraction in general, as well as teen pregnancy, have put the subject even more so on the forefront of the nation’s leading issues. The approach and method for proper and effective sex education has been hotly debated. Some believe that teaching abstinence-only until marriage is the best method while others believe that a more comprehensive approach, which includes abstinence promotion as well as contraceptive information, is necessary. Abstinence-only program curriculums disregard
Throughout recent years, addressing the subject of sexual and reproductive health among Australians has become paramount due to continuously emerging health concerns, particularly among adolescents and younger people.
Sexual intercourse is considered to be between two people that love each other very much. It is romanticized in movies and books, and is alluded to everywhere. As the age for sexual experimentation grow lower many question whether or not have sexual education in our school systems. Many argue that by educating the children at younger ages about sex, it promote the early experimentation. Also that it is not the school 's job to teach about sexualatity and that what they would teach would be against their religion, beliefs, or values, but should promote abstinence. Others argue that the experimental rate is grong and if teens will have sex it is better to educate them on how to be safe. They also arguer that sex is everywhere and children will learn about sex in some way shape or form, whether it be from friends, family, or the media.
Boonstra (2011) identified that moderate rates of teenage pregnancy occur in Australia with 43.7 pregnancies per 1000 teenage girls. This is a significant contemporary issue as there are larger risks involved with teenage pregnancy including health, financial and social implications (Brinkman et al, 2016), creating larger socio-economic problems for young parents, their children and society (Zhou et al, 2016). To reduce the numbers of teenage pregnancy and raise awareness various sex education systems are placed to manage incidences of pregnancy.
Author Bob Smith once said, “In America, when we decide to ignore a subject, our favorite form of denial is to teach it incompetently. Familiarity without true understanding is not only the basis of our families but of our educational system as well.” Smith refers to the inadequate sexual education of teenagers in the United States. Sexual education is the instruction on issues about bodily development, sex, sexuality, and relationships. Comprehensive sex education teaches about abstinence, condoms, and contraceptives to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unplanned pregnancies. As well as, the skills needed to help young people explore their own values and options. Comprehensive sexual education should be taught in the United
AUTHOR BOB SMITH ONCE SAID, “IN AMERICA, WHEN WE DECIDE TO IGNORE A SUBJECT, OUR FAVORITE FORM OF DENIAL IS TO TEACH IT INCOMPETENTLY. FAMILIARITY WITHOUT TRUE UNDERSTANDING IS NOT ONLY THE BASIS OF OUR FAMILIES BUT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AS WELL.” SMITH REFERS TO THE INADEQUATE SEXUAL EDUCATION OF TEENAGERS IN AMERICA. Sexual education is the instruction on issues about bodily development, sex, sexuality, and relationships. Comprehensive sex education teaches about abstinence, condoms, and contraceptives to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unplanned pregnancies. As well as, the skills needed to help young people explore their own values and options. Comprehensive sexual education should be taught in public schools in the United States to provide teenagers with an evidence-based approach to healthy decision making in their sexual lives.
What if a rapist was coming at someone? Do kids know what to do besides lie on the ground and cry? What if a teenager had an unplanned pregnancy? Do they know their options about abortion or adoption or keeping the baby? Will young adults know the results of their choices? Sexual education teaches all of the following, and kids in the curriculum are more likely to defend themselves in a plot when they were approached by a stranger (“Teaching children in schools…”). Sexual education teaches students about sexual health, abstinence, and information such as contraception, condoms, unplanned pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases (“Sex Education Programs”). Comprehensive sexual
Sex education in the United States has many different opinions on the most effective ways of teaching. Social trends, public health concerns, politics and various controversies have all, at different times and in different ways, affected the substance and teaching of sex education (Future of Sex Education). 15 percent of Americans believe abstinence-only sex education should teach only about abstinence and nothing else, however 46 percent believe abstinence and ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies STD’s should also be taught (Future of Sex Education). Abstinence-only sex education programs are ineffective compared to comprehensive sex education programs and are very costly within the government.
Sex. You may ask, sex, why do we want to talk about sex? Well simply because if we don 't talk about sex now then when? We are sitting here watching teens get pregnant and yet we still are not talking about sex. Along with that more and more kids are sending nudes to be exact 13% of 14- 24 year olds have sent multiple naked photos (Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper). Then we have the fact that ages 15 - 24 are 25% of the sexually active population but obtain a little over half of all stds and stis (Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper). Sexual Education should be taught in school to help lower teen pregnancy rates, how much std’s and sti’s there are among people ages 15-24 (Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper)
One of the taboos in the United States is the lack of dialogue surrounding controversial issues, specifically sex education. Unfortunately, the absence of serious and constructive discourse is a major difficulty that adversely affects the teenagers of the nation. The problem is that most programs tasked with teaching American youth the proper way to approach topics regarding sex do not provide effective advice or knowledge to handle such situations. Furthermore, the negligence of the country’s sexual health services have served to exaggerate the adverse and preventable results of sexual activity, like pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. That being said, the way the United States treats the subject of sex and the medical services associated with reproductive health should be reformed to supply the country’s youth with better knowledge so that they may handle sexual situations safely.
Compared to the United States, Australian Teenagers have significantly higher levels of sexual health according to many measures. The birth rate for teen’s ages 15-19 in Australia is 40.5 per 1000, significantly less than the rate for US teens (112.4 per 1000). Australian teens ages 15-19 have an abortion rate of 3.9 per 1000, compared to 30.2 per 1000 for US teens. Ninety percent of Australian males and ninety-five percent of Australian females report having used contraception the first time they had intercourse (Bell, 2003, 2-3). Thus, while much of the sexual health of Australian teens can, in part, be attributed to the openness of parent’s and society, it is clear that the Australian ‘Talking Sexual Health’ syllabus is beneficial not only to GLBTI students, but to Australian youth in general.
The United States sex education poorly educates students on how to protect themselves from both unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease. When one looks at data comparing the United States to countries with comprehensive sex education, you can see the significant difference in numbers of these issues. You can also see how the lack of education among students leads to more sexual harassment towards females. In order to combat these issues, the United States should put in place a better education strategy that teaches young adults how to have safe sex that prevents unwanted pregnancy and STIs, instead of stressing the importance of abstinence.
Even though sex education seems as if it can do no wrong, there still remain many
Let 's talk about sex. Stances on comprehensive sexual education vary, whether it be from religious beliefs or past experiences, different views are held throughout. "It is in the interests of society in general... for every secondary school pupil to be in receipt of sexual education” (Cumper 16). The phrase ‘it’s better to be safe than sorry’ applies heavily on the topic of sex education, the idea of a pregnant and STD ridden 15 year old tends to frighten a million times more than the thought of proper contraception use and safe sexual encounters. Although the likeliness of a parent wanting their teen to engage in sex remains extremely low, most would prefer the latter. Comprehensive sexual education should be implemented in all schools
Some parents believe they should be involved in the sex education and process. They view teens as vulnerable children rather than young adults in society. Due to the stigma around teenagers having sex and the exposure they receive through media, parents try to intervene to protect their children from participating in sexual behavior. Although teens do know less than parents about sex, if they never get exposed to it, they will never learn. Sex education introduces sexual behavior to young adults, so by prohibiting them from taking the class, they will therefore not take part in sexual acts. This is the thought process that a parent may go through, however, educating teenagers on the risks of their behavior is the best way to prevent sexual behavior because it allows them to understand why they should be safe if they choose to participate in sexual behavior. Sex education also explains that it is ok to say no to sexual behavior. Young adults should have the opportunity to access sex education to learn about the safety percussions so then they can make an informed decisions, by themselves, on sex and abortions.