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Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., C.E.O. Holistic Wisdom Founder

Hi Mary,

I know it doesn't. Recently there was an article by Planned Parenthood that I thought answers this question perfectly...

Abstinence-Only Education Flunks

by Lisa Stokes

Abstinence-only education — or ignorance-only education, as it has come to be known — has little, and in some cases, no impact on students' sexual behavior. That was the result of a study conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The study, typical of many others on the subject, examined the impact of the state's abstinence-only sexuality education curricula, known as ENABL.

The study evaluated program activities; interviewed parents in funded and non-funded counties, student participants, target groups, and community groups; and studied secondary data, such as abstinence rates and risk and protective behaviors.

The evaluator recommended that future sexuality education methods use abstinence-based curricula that include information about abstinence as well as other ways to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The study also called for longer-term projects that focused primarily on at-risk students.

The vast majority (77 percent) of parents in the funded counties told researchers that they believed it was important to both promote abstinence and teach about contraception, findings that mirror federal survey results. The study concludes, "The abstinence message is critically important but is insufficient."

The researchers also noted that the falling U.S. Teen pregnancy rates are attributed to both increased access to and use of contraceptives by teens (75 percent) and teens choosing abstinence (25 percent).

Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide play a key role in preventing teen pregnancy. Planned Parenthood of Minnesota/ South Dakota (PPMSD), for example, provides teens and their families with comprehensive reproductive health education and services. PPMSD's professional and teen educators work with community members through parent-child workshops, after-school programs, and job preparation and peer education programs to teach parents and teens about abstinence, other methods of pregnancy prevention, and prevention of sexually transmitted infections.

Lisa Stokes is an affiliate resource representative, PPFA Affiliate Leadership and Development.

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