Teen Pregnancy Prevention Strategies
Literature:
Recommended strategies to reduce teen pregnancy include:
Comprehensive sex education
that teaches about abstinence as
the best method for avoiding STDs and unintended pregnancy, but also teaches
about condoms and contraception. It teaches interpersonal and communication
skills and helps young people explore their own values, goals, and options,
to make responsible decisions about their sexuality and reproductive health.
Family Planning Services
offering access to confidential reproductive health services without
barriers (transportation, access to insurance, lack of awareness of their
rights).
Service
learning programs
that include
community based volunteer service and curriculum-based discussions and
activities, designed to promote healthy behavior for successful achievement
in school and attainment of life-long goals. The volunteer service helps teens
to take on adult roles, build personal responsibility and acquire valuable
life skills.
Male involvement programs for
prevention efforts that specifically target boys and young men.
Effective programs
for boys include programs with community service or other out-of-school
activities with a cultural component.
Adult-teen communication
programs
to give
adult information and skills to communicate effectively with young people
about reducing risky behavior. Parents influence teen decisions about sex more than their friends, the media, or their siblings.
Open, honest conversation makes it easier for teens to postpone sexual
activity and avoid teen pregnancy.
A variety of
different programs can help teens delay first sex and reduce teen pregnancy,
but teen pregnancy has many causes and even effective programs can’t do it
all. “Making true and lasting progress in preventing teen pregnancy
requires a combination of community programs and broader efforts to
influence values and popular culture, to engage parents and schools, to
change the economic incentives that face teens, and more.”
“What Works Curriculum-Based Programs That Prevent Teen Pregnancy”
lists effective programs and summarizes the best program reviews.
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NM Department of Health Family Planning Program
