Abstract
Introduction
Comprehensive sex education has been shown to reduce teen pregnancy compared to abstinence-only education or no sex education. In 2011, Missouri policy regarding human sexuality and sexually transmitted infections instruction and course material was revised.
Discussion
I am suggesting another revision be made to remove, “or shall present students with information on contraceptives and pregnancy in a manner consistent with the provisions of the federal abstinence education law, 42 U.S.C. Section 710.” Iowa has similar demographic and geographic properties to Missouri; however, Iowa has much lower teen pregnancy rates and requires comprehensive sex education.
Social Policy Implications
The removal of part of subsection three in Missouri’s statute will contribute to more effective sex education material, which may reduce the number of teen pregnancies similar to how Iowa’s comprehensive policy has contributed to reducing teen pregnancy rates.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bleakley, A., Hennessy, M., & Fishbein, M. (2006). Public opinion on sex education in US schools. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 160(11), 1151–1156.
Bruess, C., & Schroeder, E. (2013). Sexuality education: Practice and theory (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2017). Chlamydia-reported cases and rates of reported cases by state, ranked by rates, United States, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats17/tables/2.htm
Collins, C., Alagiri, P., Summers, T., & Morin, S. F. (2002). Abstinence only vs. comprehensive sex education: What are the arguments. What is the Evidence, 1–16.
Eggen, P. D., & Kauchak, D. P. (2006). Strategies and models for teachers: Teaching content and thinking skills. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Hiltabiddle, S. J. (1996). Adolescent condom use, the health belief model, and the prevention of sexually transmitted disease. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 25(1), 61–66.
Kirby, D. B. (2008). The impact of abstinence and comprehensive sex and STD/HIV education programs on adolescent sexual behavior. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 5(3), 18.
Kohler, P. K., Manhart, L. E., & Lafferty, W. E. (2008). Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(4), 344–351.
Kost, K., Maddow-Zimet, I., & Arpaio, A. (2017). Pregnancies, births and abortions among adolescents and young women in the United States, 2013: National and state trends by age, race and ethnicity. New York: Guttmacher Institute Retrieved from: https://www.guttmacher.org/report/us-adolescent-pregnancy-trends-2013.
Magnusson, B. M., Masho, S. W., & Lapane, K. L. (2012). Early age at first intercourse and subsequent gaps in contraceptive use. Journal of Women's Health, 21(1), 73–79.
Martin, J. A., Hamilton, B.E., Osterman, M. J. K., Driscoll, A.K., & Mathews, T. J. (2017). Births: Final data for 2015. National Vital Statistics Reports, 66(1). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved January 6, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_01.pdf
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. (2017). Monthly report - Sexually transmitted diseases by county. Retrieved from https://health.mo.gov/data/hivstdaids/pdf/STD2017.pdf
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Reportable Disease Informatics. (2016 June). HIV/STD statistics. Retrieved from: http://health.mo.gov/data/hivstdaids/pdf/16statsheet.pdf
Missouri State Health Profile. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/stateprofiles/pdf/missouri_profile.pdf
Office of Population Affairs. (2017a). Iowa adolescent reproductive health facts. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/national-and-state-data-sheets/adolescent-reproductive-health/iowa/index.html
Office of Population Affairs. (2017b). Missouri adolescent reproductive health facts. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/national-and-state-data-sheets/adolescent-reproductive-health/missouri/index.html
Power to Decide. (2017a). Teen birth rate comparison, 2017. Retrieved from https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/information/national-state-data/teen-birth-rate
Power to Decide. (2017b). Iowa data. Retrieved from https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/information/national-state-data/iowa
Stanger-Hall, K. F., & Hall, D. W. (2011). Abstinence-only education and teen pregnancy rates: Why we need comprehensive sex education in the US. PLoS One, 6(10), e24658.
Teen Pregnancy & Prevention Partnership. (2013). 2013 teen pregnancy rate for 15–19 year olds by Missouri county. Retrieved from http://www.teenpregnancy-mo.org/resources/files/TPRMapandTable2013.pdf
Stewart Ng, A., & Kaye, K. National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. (2013). Teen childbearing in rural America. Science Says (47), 1–6.
United States Census. (2010). List of rural counties and designated eligible census tracts in metropolitan counties. Retrieved from: https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/ruralhealth/./forhpeligibleareas.pdf
United States Census. (2017a). Iowa household income. Retrieved from: https://www.deptofnumbers.com/income/missouri
United States Census. (2017b). Missouri household income. Retrieved from: https://www.deptofnumbers.com/income/missouri
United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2016a). Iowa adolescent health facts. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/national./adolescent.../iowa/index.html
United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2016b). Missouri adolescent health facts. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/facts-and-stats/national-and-state-data-sheets/adolescent-reproductive-health/missouri/index.html
World Population Review. (2019a). Missouri demographics. Retrieved from https://www.worldpopulationreview.com/states/missouri-population/
World Population Review. (2019b). Iowa demographics. Retrieved from https://www.worldpopulationreview.com/states/iowa-population/
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cook, M. Missouri Sex Education Policy: Recommendations for Revision to Reduce Teen Pregnancy Rates. Sex Res Soc Policy 17, 668–674 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-019-00424-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-019-00424-x