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For Immediate Release
May 30, 2001
(Washington, D.C.) - Several programs that focus on sex-
as well as some that do not address sex at all - have
now shown sustained positive effects on delaying the onset
of sex, improving contraceptive use, or preventing pregnancy
among adolescents, according to a new report released
today by the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Campaign
to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. One intensive program that
combines sex education, comprehensive health care, and
activities such as tutoring has been shown to have an
impact on sexual and contraceptive behavior, pregnancy,
and births among girls for as long as three years.
Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs
to Reduce Teen Pregnancy, by Douglas Kirby, Ph.D.
is a comprehensive review of evaluation research that
offers the latest information on "what programs work"
to prevent teen pregnancy. In addition to examining
traditional sex education, the study covers abstinence-only
education programs for teens, contraceptive and family
planning services, early childhood programs, youth development,
and service learning interventions.
Emerging Answers says that the jury is still
out about the effectiveness of abstinence-only programs.
That is, current evidence about the success of these
programs is inconclusive. This is due, in part, to the
very limited number of high-quality evaluations of abstinence-only
programs available and because the few studies that
have been completed do not reflect the great diversity
of abstinence-only programs currently offered. However,
the early evidence about abstinence-only programs is
not encouraging. Fortunately there is currently a high-quality,
federally-funded evaluation of abstinence-only programs
underway which should offer more definitive results
soon.
Findings from the study will be released at a press
conference at 9:30 am in the First Amendment Lounge
of the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Participating
in the press conference will be author Douglas Kirby,
Ph.D., and National Campaign President Isabel Sawhill,
Ph.D., and Director Sarah Brown.
"This report offers good news for communities working
to prevent teen pregnancy," said Sarah Brown, Director
of the National Campaign. "Clearly there is an ever-widening
group of activities that communities can put in place
that may help convince teens that pregnancy and parenthood
is not in their best interest."
Selected findings
- The report cites eight programs as having strong
evidence of success - five are sex education programs,
two are service learning programs (i.e., community
service combined with group discussions and reflection),
and one is an intensive program that combines sex
education, comprehensive health care, and activities
such as tutoring.
- The overwhelming weight of evidence reviewed in
the report shows that sex education that discusses
contraception does not hasten the onset of sex, increase
the frequency of sex, nor increase the number of sexual
partners.
- Family planning clinics probably prevent a large
number of teen pregnancies - although there is remarkably
little evidence to support this common-sense view.
However, several rigorous studies have indicated that
when clinics provide high-quality educational materials,
discuss the adolescent patient's sexual and contraceptive
behavior, and give a clear message about that behavior,
clinics can increase contraceptive use, although not
always for a prolonged period of time.
- While substantial numbers of sexually experienced
female students in schools with school-based or school-linked
clinics obtain contraceptives from those clinics,
and while students obtain large numbers of condoms
from schools when schools provide those condoms in
private locations and with few restrictions, studies
measuring the impact of such programs on contraceptive
use have produced mixed results. However, as is the
case for sex education, studies have consistently
shown that making condoms or other contraceptives
available in schools does not hasten or increase sexual
activity.
About the author: Douglas Kirby, Ph.D., is a member
of the National Campaign's Board of Directors and is Chairman
of its Task Force on Effective Programs and Research.
He is also a Senior Research Scientist at ETR Associates,
a California-based, non-profit organization dedicated
to improving the well-being of individuals, families,
and communities through education, training, and research.
In the interest of full disclosure, Dr. Kirby wants to
make clear that ETR Associates developed - and continues
to market - two of the eight programs his review concludes
have the strongest evidence of success.
For more information: To view a summary of Emerging
Answers and related materials, please visit www.teenpregnancy.org.
For more information contact, Bill Albert, National
Campaign Communications Director, 202-478-8510. Founded
in 1996, the National Campaign is a private, nonprofit
organization with the goal of reducing the teen pregnancy
rate by one-third between 1996 and 2005.
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