Sex education works

Comprehensive, abstinence-only, or any other type of sex education seem effective. A new report in the Journal of Adolescent Health says teeners who have had sex education are more likely to delay sexual intercourse until after they turn 15.

Researchers from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed responses from over 2,000 teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 to the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth.

The highlights:

Boys aged 15-19 who received formal sex education were 71 percent less likely to have sex before age 15. Girls who are 15 to 19 with formal sex education were 59 percent less likely to have sex before age 15.

The study also found that formal sex education also seems to lead to safer sex.

Lead study author Trisha Mueller says: "Formal sex education was particularly beneficial for youth who are traditionally considered to be at high risk for adverse sexual health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted diseases or unplanned pregnancies."

Sexual health experts not affiliated with the study say it is an important addition to continuing evidence that sex education works to promote healthier behaviors though the fact that the study does not differentiate between comprehensive and abstinence-only programs gives some experts hesitations in supporting the new claim.

It is interesting to know that sex education works better with boys. With this, don't be so surprised with what happened to Jamie Lynn.

source: ABC Health News