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LSAYouth |
Decline
reported in sexual risk behaviors among high school students
Focus official believes abstinence
program the key
By Staff Reporter
CHRISTIAN TIMES
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Even as
the fate of federal abstinence-only education funding remains in political limbo
on Capitol Hill, an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
has found that the number of high school students who ever had sexual
intercourse dropped by 8.5 percent since 1991.
The numbers, tracked for the 10-year period ending last year, showed that the
number of students who had sex dropped from 54.1 percent to 45.6 percent. The
information, based on updated analysis data trends of the CDC’s Youth Risk
Behavior Survey, was released Sept. 27.
It found that the decline occurred across gender lines and affected 10th, 11th
and 12th grade students. The drop also was reported among black and white
students, the CDC report said.
The news was also good on other fronts, with the percentage of high school
students reporting multiple sex partners—defined as four or more— declining
overall from 18.7 percent to 14.2 percent among male students, 11th and 12th
grade students, and black and white students.
These decadelong improvements in teen sexual risk behavior mirror simultaneous
decreases in the rates of gonorrhea, pregnancy, and birth rates among
adolescents, according to Lloyd Kolbe, Ph.D, who directs the CDC’s adolescent
and school health program.
Through its Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the CDC has worked to decrease the
impact of HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases on youth. CDC currently
provides fiscal and technical assistance to 48 states, the District of Columbia,
18 local education agencies, and numerous national health and education
organizations to implement effective prevention education for youth.
The survey also looks at other risky behaviors, including substance abuse and
tobacco use.
The latest information released about the sexual intercourse responses will be
provided to agencies dedicated to adolescent health and behaviors.
“Though too many students continue to engage in behaviors that place them at
risk of unintended pregnancy, HIV infection and other sexually transmitted
diseases, these positive findings should encourage all of us,” said Lloyd Kolbe,
Ph.D., who directs the CDC’s adolescent and school health program.
“Although we can’t point to a single reason for these improvements, we think
they are due to the combined efforts of many people—youth themselves, parents
and families, schools, community organizations that serve young people, health
care organizations, faith-based organizations, the media and government agencies
that work to reduce sexual risk behaviors among young people.”
Teens heed the message
But Peter Brandt, director of issues response for Focus on the Family, said
he believes the reduction is tied directly to the increased attention on
abstinence-only education. Two of the biggest factors contributing to the
approach, he said, are the increased promotion by crisis pregnancy centers
beginning in the late ’80s and the federal Welfare Reform Act of 1996, which
earmarked funding for such programs in public schools.
“We found it more than a coincidence that the kids started receiving the
information and the trends began to change,” he said.
Because surveys have consistently pointed to the success of such programs,
Brandt said he’s distressed by the Senate leadership’s unwillingness to pursue
funding renewals for the education component. The funding extension was included
in President George W. Bush’s budget, which, for the most part, was approved by
the House of Representatives.
Brandt said he believes the numbers have repeatedly shown that, when given a
clear message, teens respond.
“We have a whole generation of kids seemingly apt to take less risks,” he said.
“They seem to be listening to the message of adults, that you ought not to be
doing that.”
Alternative budget plans, dubbed in some circles as abstinence-plus, would
dilute the effectiveness of existing programs.
“There are other (budget) versions floating around out there that we find
problematic and those are saying that you can use these for teaching kids about
safe sex, too, which we believe is a step back,” the Focus spokesman said.
“It would be a shame for Congress to play with a program that is showing such a
success.”