Impacts of abstinence education on teen sexual activity, risk of pregnancy, and risk of sexually transmitted diseases

J Policy Anal Manage. 2008 Spring;27(2):255-76. doi: 10.1002/pam.20324.

Abstract

This paper examines the impacts of four abstinence-only education programs on adolescent sexual activity and risks of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Based on an experimental design, the impact analysis uses survey data collected in 2005 and early 2006 from more than 2,000 teens who had been randomly assigned to either a program group that was eligible to participate in one of the four programs or a control group that was not. The findings show no significant impact on teen sexual activity, no differences in rates of unprotected sex, and some impacts on knowledge of STDs and perceived effectiveness of condoms and birth control pills

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior
  • Contraception / statistics & numerical data
  • Contraception Behavior / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pregnancy / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence / prevention & control*
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk
  • Sex Education / methods*
  • Sex Education / statistics & numerical data
  • Sexual Abstinence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sexual Behavior / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / prevention & control*
  • United States