Analysis of the Perception of Sexual Education in Bay Area Counties
Start Date
April 2020
End Date
April 2020
Major Field of Study
Global Public Health
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor(s)
Patti Culross, MD, MPH
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
According to the WHO, there is a reported 2 million young people living with HIV worldwide, along with an estimate that one-third of all new HIV infections are estimated to occur among young adults aged 15-25 (Leung, et. al, 2019). Research conducted using the National Survey of Family Growth showed that pregnancy was 50% less likely for teens that received a comprehensive sexual education program rather than abstinence-only education (Advocates for Youth, 2009). Young people from the ages 15-24 contract almost half of new sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. The California Healthy Youth Act took effect in January of 2016, which requires that school districts provide a comprehensive sexual education program. If this is the case, why are there still differences in new STI rates in California counties? The purpose of the current study is to analyze 6 different counties in the Bay Area (Marin, Napa, Yolo, Solano, Contra Costa, and Alameda) and investigate this difference among counties, and to interview schools to assess if sexual education is as comprehensive and equal as the California Healthy Youth Acts suggests.
Analysis of the Perception of Sexual Education in Bay Area Counties
According to the WHO, there is a reported 2 million young people living with HIV worldwide, along with an estimate that one-third of all new HIV infections are estimated to occur among young adults aged 15-25 (Leung, et. al, 2019). Research conducted using the National Survey of Family Growth showed that pregnancy was 50% less likely for teens that received a comprehensive sexual education program rather than abstinence-only education (Advocates for Youth, 2009). Young people from the ages 15-24 contract almost half of new sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. The California Healthy Youth Act took effect in January of 2016, which requires that school districts provide a comprehensive sexual education program. If this is the case, why are there still differences in new STI rates in California counties? The purpose of the current study is to analyze 6 different counties in the Bay Area (Marin, Napa, Yolo, Solano, Contra Costa, and Alameda) and investigate this difference among counties, and to interview schools to assess if sexual education is as comprehensive and equal as the California Healthy Youth Acts suggests.
Comments
This presentation was accepted for the Scholarly and Creative Works Conference at Dominican University of California. The Conference was canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic