eprintid: 38447
rev_number: 17
userid: 9594
dir: disk0/00/03/84/47
datestamp: 2020-07-30 17:19:36
lastmod: 2020-07-30 17:19:36
status_changed: 2020-07-30 17:19:36
type: thesis_degree
metadata_visibility: show
contact_email: hmakarevich1993@gmail.com
eprint_status: archive
creators_name: Makarevich, Hannah
creators_email: hlm41@pitt.edu
creators_id: hlm41
title: Sexuality Education:  A Comprehensive Review and Policy Recommendation
ispublished: unpub
divisions: sch_gsph_behavioralcommhealthsci
full_text_status: public
keywords: sexuality, sexuality education, comprehensive, comprehensive sexuality education, sex education, sex ed, Title V, Title V Section 510, mandate, HIV, STD, STI, teenage pregnancy, teen pregnancy, sexual health, sexual health outcomes
abstract: The goal of this paper is to evaluate existing data around current sexuality education curricula, adolescent reproductive statistics, and sexually transmitted infection rates. Sexual health behaviors, such as contraceptive use, relationship behavior, and relationship violence, are also researched. The United States (US) has the highest rates of both teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection among all developed nations. Current literature shows that abstinence-only education programs in the US do not have positive effects on sexual health outcomes of adolescents. Through this literature review, we found that there are vast differences in sexuality education requirements across the states, affecting the public health of millions of school aged students nationwide. States that do not require comprehensive sexuality education have poorer sexual health outcomes, suggesting that American adolescents could benefit from adjustments to the current sexuality education policies. With the current level of sexually transmitted infections and adolescent pregnancies, we must identify effective curricula to increase knowledge of evidence-based sexuality education and find successful models of implementation for the United States. This paper recommends certain policy changes to address the sexual health outcomes and improve overall reproductive health, including repealing and replacing Title V, Section 510 funding or reallocating Title V funding in conjunction with implementing state-specific comprehensive sexuality education program mandates.
date: 2020-07-30
date_type: published
pages: 67
institution: University of Pittsburgh
refereed: TRUE
etdcommittee_type: committee_chair
etdcommittee_type: committee_member
etdcommittee_type: committee_member
etdcommittee_name: Terry, Martha Ann
etdcommittee_name: Jarlenski, Marian
etdcommittee_name: Haggerty, Catherine
etdcommittee_email: materry@pitt.edu
etdcommittee_email: marian.jarlenski@pitt.edu
etdcommittee_email: HaggertyC@edc.pitt.edu
etd_defense_date: 2020-04-14
etd_approval_date: 2020-07-30
etd_submission_date: 2020-03-30
etd_release_date: 2020-07-30
etd_access_restriction: immediate
etd_patent_pending: FALSE
thesis_type: thesis
degree: MPH
citation:   Makarevich, Hannah  (2020) Sexuality Education: A Comprehensive Review and Policy Recommendation.  Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.    (Unpublished)  
document_url: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/38447/1/MakarevichH_MPHthesis_4_2020.pdf