A recent study reports that while teachers and students prefer enhanced sex education programs, they did not affect pregnancy and abortion rates especially in UK schools. When teen pregnancy is taken into consideration, there seems to be many influencing factors – the officials said. The study, which was conducted by the Medical Research Council and was published in the British Medical Journal, covered about 25 secondary schools.
The study finds that the parents have been playing the major influential factor for early pregnancies and suggests the parents to talk to their children more on sex. "It is clear that economic circumstances still largely determine the likelihood of teenage pregnancy. To have a stronger impact, alternative interventions should be considered." – says a lead researcher Dr Marion Henderson.The study found that there were no reduction in the pregnancy and abortion rates whether students were given a conventional sex education class or not. Sex education is basically carried out by issuing hands out information and discusses values, or an enhanced sex education class, where students and teachers role-play and work on skills like negotiating sexual encounters. The study highlights the areas that can deliver the strategies for achieving greater successes in bringing down rates and also provides guidance to all local authorities and primary care trusts to work in this way.
A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said, "High quality Personal Social Health Education is a vital part of a successful strategy which must also include easy access to advice and contraception for young people.”
Source-Medindia
SRI
