Condoms and their effectiveness

[NCclimber 0]

The author of the study cited above has since finished another study that concluded:

Quote

The study found that “adolescents who receive a scientifically based abstinence-only sex education program were less likely to have had sexual intercourse after two years than those receiving instruction on condom use that made no mention of abstinence,” according to the release.

From the article I read, he was booed when he announced his findings at an International AIDS Conference. Apparently, talk of abstinence is taboo at these gatherings.

Personally, I believe safe sex should be taught and abstinence should be promoted. Leave religion out of it, but discuss the downfalls of early sex and discourage its practice.

It's too bad so many people are inflexible on this matter.

[freethefly 6]

I personally believe that all studies of human sexuality are somewhat flawed as each person is different and studies are not so much broad in scope but, focus on certian groups. This one study focused on inner-city kids. Kids in the country are just as likely (and probally more so) to have adolescent sex as are kids in the city. The same as with suburban kids. The study does, however reveal a little more than what was previously known.
The researcher did state;
It should be noted that the present findings may not generalize to all young inner-city African American adolescents. Also unclear is whether the present intervention effects would be observed in other populations, for instance, older African American adolescents or suburban white adolescents.

All aspects of protecting oneself should be given equal with no greater emphasis on one over the other. Merely telling kids that they will die if they have sex can only do harm in the long run. Telling them that there are ways to protect will do more good. Telling them that waiting is a better option but, not the only option is even better. The syllabus should be well rounded and not weighted heavy on one side or the other.
A large number of teens will have sex. It is not new to this generation or any other throughout time. It is just simple fact that it happens. Humans being human. Best to enforce with knowledge than to scare with whitewash.
As for the IAC, abstinence is promoted along with condom use. The upheaval lies within the 33% of AIDS funds used to promote abstinence only programs which have proven to be ineffective in Sub-Sahara Africa. You only need to do a little bit of indepth research to find this to be true. Couple abstinence only programs with christian groups promoting abstinence and christianity and it is even more ineffective as the majority of the target population is muslim. Not saying that abstinence only is a 100% failure, only that a new approach is needed and that religion needs to be taken out of the equation.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young