Sex : The Dynamic Of Parental Communication About Sex With Adolescent Teens

Half of all new human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV infections in the United States and two thirds of all sexually transmitted diseases (STD) occur among young people under the age of 25 (Starkman, Rajani). It’s estimated that by the end of high school, nearly two thirds of American’s youth are sexually active, and one in five has had four or more sexual partners (Starkman, Rajani). Despite these alarming statistics, less than half of all public schools in the United States offer information on how to obtain contraceptives and most schools teach "abstinence only" education (Starkman, Rajani). Even more alarmingly there is little evidence that abstinence only curriculums are successful in encouraging teenagers from delaying

The first risk factor is contextual factor, such as socioeconomic status and poverty, family and peer factors. The study showed that the percentage of sexually active young adolescents is higher in low-income areas of inner cities (Morrison-Beedy & others, 2013). A recent study revealed that neighborhood poverty concentrations predicted 15- to 17-year-old girls’ and boys’ sexual initiation (Cubbin & others, 2010). Children from low-income families are more likely to fall into the bad habits because they are lack of discipline from parents who are busy making a live. The second one is family factors. The family connectedness and parent-adolescent communication about sexuality can predict the sexual outcome. A study shows that sexual risk-taking behavior was more likely to occur in girls living in single-parent homes (Hipwell & others, 2011).

While parents would like their children to wait as long as possible to begin having sex, the reality is that teens are having sex much younger than many parents think. Some teens, or preteens, begin having sex or engaging in sexual behavior in junior high. By the time they are seniors in high school, an estimated 65 percent of teens have had sex, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007. (Dawn, 2009). Unfortunately, a percentage of those teens will become pregnant. After more than a decade and a half of decline (a 27 percent drop from 1991 to 2000), teen birth rates rose again in 2006, which was the last year for which data are available. It is still unclear on what caused teen birth rates to rise again, with supporters of abstinence-only sex education programs and contraception-based programs each blaming the other side for the increase. However, a 2007 study in the Journal of American Public Health attributed the trend in decreasing pregnancy rates to improved contraception use among teens during that time. (Anderson Orr, 2009).

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unwanted pregnancies has been a health concern among young adults who engage in risky sexual behaviors for some time. These behaviors can include having multiple sex partners and not using contraception before, during, or after sexual intercourse. Although, the rate of teenage pregnancies have decreased is it still a significant number of young girls who are getting pregnant before they are married, or even out of high school. According to the CDC, Young people ages 15-24 contract almost half the nation’s 19 million new STIs every year. (2008) During this age, they start discovering their our bodies, find interest in other people around them, and become curious about participating in sexual activities without fully understanding the risk or gaining enough knowledge to keep themselves protected. Although there are more than just young people who are engaging in sexual interactions, they are the ones who lack a lot of the maturity and self-control needed make better decisions. They may know the risk they are taking when they choose not to use condoms but many still don’t belief they are at risk for diseases and unwanted pregnancies so they choose not to use any forms of contraception. When they decide to engage in risky sexual behaviors they don’t only put themselves at risk for diseases, but they also put others at risk. The use of condoms is important because it protects from a number of diseases and infections, and even an

With the increase of cases of sexually transmitted diseases being reported, the young population today have to be more careful than ever before when it comes to having sex and sexual behavior. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 41% of U.S. high school students reported to having sexual intercourse and of those who are sexually active 43% did not use a condom the last time they had sex. (CDC, 2015) This unhealthy sexual behavior increase the risk of contracting STD’s and causing unintended pregnancy. The population between 13-24 are also responsible for about 22% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States and about 20 million new STDs cases are reported each year among the young

The United States has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates, with the highest group beginning the Hispanic American community. To what degree are the parents involved in communicating to their teenage girls about sex, and are they providing the proper information to help protect their teenage daughters from pregnancies and STD’s? Academically this issue will continue to be examined, so that we can learn to help educate young teen students about the dangers of early sexual activities and how to help prevent teen pregnancies, STD’s, and other associated issues resulting from having sex. Race, class, and one’s sexuality has also been studied in connection to this area by many scholars, all in which trying to help students think about the consequences that are tied with having sex at an early age, and building communication between the parent and child for prevention of onset to early sexual activities. There are many medical and heritage foundations that have taken a large interest in parent child communications on the early onset of sexual activities and are being driven to conducting studies to help both the students and the families get educated and assist them with communication on adolescent sex. I’m specifically looking at Hispanic American families and the parent child communication and intervention on the early onset of sexual activity by young Hispanic American teenage girls. This literature is pertinent to my study because it gives historical and statistical

Many young teens engage in risky behaviors that can affect their health and leave negative outcomes on their bodies. There was a survey conducted by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015 and researchers found that “30% of high school teens had had sexual intercourse during the previous 3 months and of these, 43% did not use a condom the last time they had sex. 14% did not use any method to prevent pregnancy and 21% had drunk alcohol or used drugs before their last sexual encounter (CDC, 2015).” The statistic previously read only covers 30 percent of people who agreed to participate in the study. There are still teens who either did not want to participate or who are not having any form of sexual activity. From the statistic we can confer that education about sexual health is something that is not being administered in schools and thus will cause a larger problem in the future.

Research has shown that females who initiate intercourse in their early adolescent years are at higher risk for sexually transmitted diseases as well as cervical cancer (CDC, 2013). Males who engage in intercourse in their early adolescent years are at a higher risk for sexually transmitted diseases including HIV in those males who have sex with males. This age group is vulnerable to acquiring a higher evidence of infection due to them having multiple sex partners, improper use of condoms on a consistent basis, as well as having an increased biologic susceptibility to infection, and facing multiple obstacles to accessing health care (Forhan, Gottlieb, Sternberg, & et.al, 2009). Despite the high rates of infections documented in the adolescent population, providers frequently fail to inquire about sexual behaviors, assess STD risk, provide risk reduction counseling and

    The quality of sexual education in the United States is leading large numbers of teenage pregnancies. In the current code of curriculum for the U.S. only twenty four states require sexual education in schools, and only twenty one of which inform teens about HIV. According to The Odyssey Online, “ 25% of teens receive no information about contraception from teachers or parents”( 15 Reasons To Be Pro-Choice pg 4). Because of this large percentage of teenagers are not being informed about safe sex there is large amount of young girls becoming pregnant. If these young women cannot get an abortion if wanted they are more likely to go down a the road of dropping out of school, poverty, depending on public assistance and be in poor health. The difference in required sex education among United States is causing a large variety of of teen pregnancies within the states. Teens of Mississippi have a rate of every ninety to one thousand becoming pregnant. Compared to Kansas with a ratio every sixty three to one thousand. The reason for such

Early childhood experiences can make all the difference in an adolescent’s life. Parents must be aware of the factors that can increase the likelihood of teen pregnancy and take precautionary measures to prevent and help reduce an unplanned pregnancy. It has been found that higher positive parent-teen communication is correlated with higher use of contraception to reduce the risk of pregnancy, postponement of sexual activity, and better knowledge of the negative consequences of sexual intercourse. On the other hand, those who have reported distant and problematic relationships with their parents initiate sexual activity at an earlier age (Woodward, Fergusson, & Horwood, 2001). Parents become unaware of their teen’s sexual activity and decisions. Communication is key in adolescent years and positive parental involvement and regular communication results in healthier sexual behaviors, fewer sexual partners, and a delay in sexual initiation (Oros, 2012). Although teenagers are more likely to go to seek their friends for sexual information, an open conversation about sex between parents and teenagers can also lead teenagers to develop a higher comfort level with sensitive topics while talking to their parents. Parents are the primary sex educators of their children and therefore studies have shown that teenagers’ decisions are influenced by what their parents think about sex (Meschke, Bartholomae, & Zentall, 2002). This goes to say that establishing a bond between parents and

By providing students with condoms in school teens would be protected against sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and Aids. According to a study in Lucas County, Ohio, most parents (81 percent) favored “discussing abstinence and the use of condoms with student” (Rutt, Dain). It’s important that these parents understand the chances their children's will be influenced by the sexual behavior around them and are taking actions to protect their kids'. Teens are known to be rebellious and go against authority, so when parents support their children endeavors room for interactive dialogue can take

This study is designed to focus on the effectiveness of school based sex education programs in order to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). School districts across the United States have been teaching sex education program, however each varies with the type of program that is taught. The number of adolescents who engage in sexual activities has declined in past years. Nonetheless, the United States being one of the most industrialized nations still has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy. Risky sexual behaviors likewise attribute to the number of individuals who live with sexually STD’s/HIV/AIDS. Of high school students

When asked if environmental factors had an influence on major decisions teenage girls made pertaining to their body 40%(ten out of twenty-five) of the teenage girls stated that environment factors have influenced their decision on their body. Thirty six percent (nine out of twenty-five) of the young ladies surveyed responded that they have people they can talk to in their home or neighborhood when making decisions. Sadly, only 20% of the young ladies recorded being aware of the correct usage of contraceptives before their first sexual experience. Seventy two percent (eighteen out of twenty five) of the young ladies stated they understood what it took to make a baby. Forty eight percent of the young ladies surveyed stated they lived in a financially stable home. What constituted a financially stable home in this research was a parent or parents who have been working a job consistently for 6 months or more. Forty four percent (eleven out of twenty five) of the young ladies agreed that promiscuous behavior led to unwanted pregnancies. The young ladies who did not agree often bought up friends and family members around them who were very promiscuous and did not get pregnant like they did. Forty percent (ten out of twenty five) stated they understood how the spread of HIV and STIs are transmitted. A common pattern the teenage girls stated is that you can tell when somebody has a sexually transmitted disease or

Raising young teenagers in today’s society is difficult at best. Although the majority of parents aim to raise their children the right way, outside influences and pressures play a role in their child’s decision-making. For instance, promiscuity among adolescents is a constant issues most parents worry about during this stage of development. Teens are learning about sex from friends, movies, and television shows where it is glamorized and seen as something fun and exciting. What they negate to show is the negative aspects of premarital sex, and what comes with making such an important decision before marriage or even prior to reaching the proper maturity level. As a result, instead of focusing on their high school education, they are instead dealing with teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other negative consequences that follow risky sexual behavior at an early age. Kearney and Levine (as cited by Whalen & Loper, 2013) suggest that, “Despite recent decreases in the rate of teenage pregnancy and increased prevention efforts, the Unites States continues to have the highest rate of teenage births of any industrialized country” (p. 347).Educating teens early may not always prevent them from choosing to engage in sexual behaviors; however, they will be better informed of the risks that come along with making these decisions, and hopefully will cause them to think before they act.

The study found significant differences between adolescents taught by parents in the intervention versus the control group (Compero et al 2011). Teens receiving information from parents in the intervention were more likely to delay the initiation of sexual intercourse, proved to have more accurate knowledge about emergency contraception and reported a higher percentage of parents that provided condoms for them. These results are suggestive that parent-focused interventions may be an effective strategy to promote adolescent sexual health.