AbstinenceOnlyvs.ComprehensiveSexEducation.pdfVIP

Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education: What are the arguments? What is the evidence? Chris Collins, M.P.P. Priya Alagiri, J.D. Todd Summers Progressive Health Partners Stephen F. Morin, Ph.D. AIDS Policy Research Center Center for AIDS Prevention Studies AIDS Research Institute University of California, San Francisco Policy Monograph Series – March 2002 Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education Table of Contents Executive Summary ii Introduction 1 Definitions of Sexuality Education 1 Personal and Social Costs of Unprotected Teenage Sexual Behaviors 2 The Continuing Epidemic of HIV and AIDS 2 The Dynamics of Risk and Risk Perception 2 What Do Parents Want for Their Children? 3 The Role of Federal and State Policy 4 Federal Policy 4 State Policy 7 School Policies 7 What the Research Tells Us 8 Studies on Abstinence-Only Programs 8 Studies on Comprehensive Sex Education Programs 9 Government Report on Condom Effectiveness 10 Appropriate Programming for Young People at Elevated Risk 11 Arguments for Abstinence-Only Sex Education 12 The Medical Institute for Sexual Health (MISH) Analysis 12 Arguments for Comprehensive Sex Education 14 Conclusion 16 Appendix: Table of Studies 21 Endnotes 17 Acknowledgments This policy analys is was supported by a grant from the Until There’s A Cure Foundation. The views expressed in this monograph are the views of the a u- thors and do not necessarily reflect those of the funder. i Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education Executive Summary