During the 1980s, efforts increased to alert the public to the dangers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and unintended pregnancy, yet these problems have increased. Adolescents and young adults have been especially hard hit. Pregnancy and birth rates among teenagers are at their highest levels in two decades.
Research has demonstrated that consistent condom use is an effective way to prevent the transmission of HIV and other STDs and in the prevention of pregnancy.
Analyses of the Urban Institute’s National Survey of Adolescent Males (NSAM) show that although most sexually experienced teenage males have used condoms at least once, many do not use them consistently. Only 35 percent reported using a condom every time they had sex in the past year. But teenage males use condoms more than older men, and between 1979 and 1988 reported condom use among male teenagers doubled. These patterns indicate that teenagers are a promising target population for condom promotion efforts since they appear more ready than older men to change their behaviors.
Unfortunately, condom use among young men appears to have plateaued since 1988. Comparisons of 1988 and 1991 NSAM data show no change in rates of use.
Attitudes Related to Use
Condom use is higher among young men who worry more frequently about AIDS when the effects of other factors are held constant. Between 1988 and 1991, however, sexually experienced teenagers showed declines in the frequency with which they worried about AIDS, how serious they thought AIDS was, and the likelihood they would get AIDS. These reductions were associated with lower levels of condom use.
Male teenagers who think they will be embarrassed buying or using condoms, use them less consistently than those with higher embarrassment thresholds. If they think that the use of a condom will reduce the physical pleasure associated with intercourse, they are even less likely to use condoms. Anticipated loss of pleasure is one of the strongest correlates of reduced condom use.
Beliefs about male responsibility for contraception are also associated with condom use. Teenage males use condoms more often when they believe that men bear responsibility for initiating discussion of contraception with their female partners, refusing sexual intercourse if contraception is not used, helping to pay for the contraceptive pill, and assuming financial responsibility for any resulting children. Further work has shown that young men’s views of their contraceptive responsibility are very much related to their beliefs about masculinity.
...own. Bratsis went onto argue that the reason for the decline could possibly be to public ad campaigns, particularly ones that display the downsides of being a young mother. Bratsis (2015) also argued that 86% of teens claimed that they the last time they had sex they used contraception, namely condoms and birth control (12). The author pointed out that we need to educate teens in the benefits of using long-acting reversible contraception instead of condoms and birth control. Bratsis suggested that we should take away the barriers, increase availability, access and awarenss of this type of contraception because it can prevent pregnancy for three to 10 years depending on which method is used. However, teens do need to be aware that they do not prevent STDs. Bratsis believes that educating teens about this contraception will help reduce the teen pregnancy rate.
The second reason for contraceptives being given to teenagers, will help them avoid many dangerous Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) associated with unsafe sexual practices. Studies have shown an increase in unprotected sexuality among teenagers can result in a wide-range of social problems, such as STDs. The topic of birth control in public schools has attracted much support from the American public, according to statistics surveyed. For example, a 2006 Associated Press-Ipsos survey discovered that 67% of Americans support the provision of contraceptives to students. This study also determined that, “About as many - 62 percent - said they believe providing birth control reduces the number of teenage pregnancies” (Associated Press).
Young adolescents do not realize how much of a risk it is to engage in sexual intercourse even while wearing a condom. There are three ways you can get genital herpes: oral sex, anal sex, and vaginal sex. According to The Washington Post, if a condom is used 100 percent of the time during vaginal sex, condoms reduce the risk of getting genital herpes by only about 50 percent (Washington 2). It’s still safer to use a condom to reduce chances of getting other sexually transmitted diseases. But adolescents should know that your risk is only cut only half while being protected. Rob Stein mentions, that many adolescents and adults say they engage in oral sex as a less risky type of sex (Stein 2). Most of these adolescents look at oral sex as safer type of sex but
Freely accessible birth control for teenagers has always been a topic of debate, but it prevents pregnancy, abortion, and it also has many health benefits. There are cons to the argument that suggests a rise in promiscuity in the adolescent demographic, but in spite of these cons the rise of birth control continues, because access to birth control helps adolescents make an informed and safe decision on whether or not to participate in sexual activities. It doesn’t make the decision for them.
...s effected by the three parameters, so in this case the health motivation is very high. Therefore, teens are very like to change to use condoms to prevent pregnancy.
Many questions and concerns have come about regarding this promotion of condoms being distributed in public schools. Will it lower teen pregnancy rates? Will condoms reduce sexually transmitted diseases? Will the distribution of condoms in public schools make students more sexually responsible? Who will fund these interventions? Some people believe teaching children and teens about abstinence is the best way to minimize pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Birth control is an alternative used to prevent pregnancy, not necessarily sexually transmitted diseases and using condoms is always a way to protect from diseases and unwanted pregnancies. With these different alternatives and many parents feel as if the program goes against their beliefs and values as a parent/guardian, implementation of the program is a legitimate way to reduce the new trend of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Murray, Steven, and Jessica Miller. "Birth Control and Condom Usage Among College Students." Department of Human Performance and Wellness and Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Mesa State College 25.1 (2000):1- 3. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Condoms are more effective if teens are taught about sex education. Condoms are an important factor in preventing teenage pregnancy. Many people believe that the number of teen pregnancies would drop if schools would distribute condoms. Condoms are safe, cheap, and easy to use. The reason to distribute condoms is not ...
Today it is no longer a novelty to hear that teenagers are having sex. However, while this “bedroom” activity may be fun, there are now ample reports indicating that rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in teenagers have skyrocketed. Current data reveal that nearly 25% of adolescent girls who have sex are infected with one of the four commonly sexually transmitted infections-namely gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes and HIV (Kann et al, 2015). Nationally, the prevalence of STDs account for 50% of cases in people under the age of 25. While every ethnic and race has been known to be affected, African American youth are disproportionately affected. These data are not a surprise to professionals who are engaged in adolescent sexual health because the numbers have been slowly creeping up over the decades, despite national educational policies to counter the threat of STDs (Sales & DiClemente, 2016). All the STDs have a significant impact on sexual and reproductive health, if they are mot promptly diagnosed and treated. Although many preventive strategies have been implemented in all communities, the rates of STDs are still increasing (Madkour et al, 2016).
Arielle Massiah SW 7300 Sunday, March 29, 2015 Article Critique Teenage Sexuality and Media Practice: Factoring in the Influences of Family, Friends, and School Jeanne Rogge Steele Literature Review and Theoretical/ Conceptual Framework The social problem that the research addresses is the outrageously high rate of unprotected teenage sexual engagement and encounters. The problem was made apparent due to a survey that disclosed that not only had “three quarters of the 2,439 participants engage in sexual intercourse by their senior year, half of the participants reported that they did not use condoms and one third of the population failed to allocate the use of birth control at all; drastically increasing their exposure to HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy”. Steele, 1999, p. 339.
For many years now, individuals in all states have been attempting to teach teenagers about safe sex. Administrators have designed special classes and foundations worldwide in order to help out with this subject. As said by K4Health, “The term ‘condom’ first appeared in print in 1717, in an English publication on syphilis, although its origin still remains uncertain” (Stryker). The reason why schools should be giving teenagers condoms is because most teenagers do not tell their parents that they are sexually active. Most teenagers are more comfortable telling one of their teachers that they are really close to, or another administrator. If the parents are not aware that their child is sexually active, they will not have the educational talk with them thus resulting in the adolescent not knowing about the appropriate protection they need.
The government likes to pretend that if high school students get taught the “abstinence-only” method they would never think of taking part in sexual activities. Statistically this is incorrect. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “56 percent of high school students are virgins”(Martin). For the 56 percent abstinence only is doing them well, but there are still 44 percent of high school students engaging in sex without knowing the precau...
may not continue to utilize this protection. In Tom Utley’s article Handing out condoms will encourage teenage sex he wrote,
Many teenagers and adolescents have been given false information or hold fabricated beliefs concerning teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Because teenagers are misguided and hold false convictions about teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, they are more likely to make undesirable choices that may negatively influence their futures. If they are educated properly, teenagers could live a productive and healthy life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), “teenagers between the ages of 15-24 represent almost half of the 20 million sexually transmitted diseases and cases that occur yearly“. Gillette (2012) asserts, “United States has the highest teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease cases” compared to other industrialized countries.
...tions and fifty percent of them were from young adults ages 15-24 (CDC). “Every year around nineteen million Americans get an STI infection and out of that nineteen million, nine million of them are young adults between the age 15 to 24” (STD Statistics). We want statistics like these to go down not stay the same or go up. They are not going to go down unless we do something about it. The more people getting viruses, the better chance our children are going to have sex with someone that has a virus and does not know it. There will be a domino effect passing viruses down from generation to generation if something does not change. It is a parent’s job to want the best for their children, education, health and knowing all about everything that can change their lives drastically. More sex education in schools could change the direction that people’s lives are heading.