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A small blow to "Abstinence Only" education
http://www.moneyplans.net/newsroom/n...ullnews&id=261
Quote:
I Am Virgin Don't Believe that Statement
Young adults taking "virginity pledges" in schools and community meetings have been found to have same or even higher chances of sexually transmitted diseases as their peers.
Young adults taking "virginity pledges" in schools and community meetings have been found to have same or even higher chances of sexually transmitted diseases as their peers. The new study has cme as a shock for many parents who believe that their kids are safe and have very less chances of getting STDs. The study has als given a big blow to to claims of effectiveness the abstinence movement.
The teens and Young adults who claim to be virgin and usually take virginity pledges are more likely to get into sexual activity withut use of condoms. This behaviour is even more serious and could lead to long term troubles in control of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
"Advocates for abstinence-only education assert that premarital abstinence and postmarital sex are necessary and sufficient for avoiding negative consequences of sexual activity, such as STDs," says the study, published yesterday in the Journal of Adolescent Health. "This assertion collides with the realities of adolescents' and young adults' lives."
The research also found that virginity pledges -- usually public, signed statements linked with schools, community groups or churches in which adolescents promise to delay having sex until marriage -- may even encourage high-risk sexual behaviour, as those who make the pledge are less likely to use condoms and seek treatment for STDs.
Lead author Hannah Bruckner, a sociology professor at Yale University, said in an interview that the findings indicate abstinence-only education isn't sufficient to prevent teenagers from contracting STDs.
One reason is that sexually active pledgers were less likely to use condoms at first sex than non-pledgers.
Br|eckner and Bearman also note that pledgers were less likely to seek and obtain STD-related health care, possibly because of increased stigmatization or misperception of infection risk among pledgers.
"If pledgers have infections for longer periods of time than non- pledgers, this is a reason for concern," said Br|ckner.
The authors said even though pledgers used condoms at the same rate as non-pledgers, the fact that they were less likely to use condoms earlier could be why their STD rates remain high since they are less likely to be diagnosed. (ANI)
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I think that if these youngsters were really serious about being abstinent -then they should take dating tips from me...
But seriously folks -did anyone expect a different result?
Last edited by Astrocloud; 03-19-2005 at 11:01 AM..
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