Prof. to Present Research at HIV Conference (Rounded Sex-Ed not confusing)

[TroglodyteScholar]

Macon--Contrary to the popular argument that comprehensive sex education that includes information about abstinence, contraception and sexually transmitted disease prevention provides confusing, "mixed messages" to teens, today's youth are rarely confused by such courses, according to research by Mercer University School of Medicine Professor Dr. Mike Smith.

Smith, who also serves as director of AIDS education and research, will present a new study regarding mixed messages as they relate to sex education at the National HIV Prevention Conference at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta on Tuesday.

In fiscal year 2005, the United States federal government provided $155 million in funding for sex education programs that promote "abstinence only until marriage." Professional organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, however, support comprehensive sex education, arguing that there is extensive evidence that well-designed, comprehensive sex education programs are effective, but that there is little if any evidence in support of abstinence-only programs. Research has demonstrated that abstinence-only programs can delay first intercourse, but they have also shown that teens in these programs are more likely to have unprotected sex when they do first have sex.

The primary argument used by proponents of abstinence-only programs is that comprehensive sex education presents "mixed messages" that confuse teenagers.

This fellow from my Alma Mater presented yesterday, and I heard a story about it on Georgia Public Broadcasting - but I'm not posting in LBN because the only writeup I could find was on the university's web page and is from 5 days ago when Dr. Smith was *planning* to present. Well, anyway, and I think a lot of fundies are going to be upset with his findings -- especially since Mercer is a Southern Baptists affiliated university. Amazing!

Link:
http://www2.mercer.edu/News/Articles/050610aids.htm">http://www2.mercer.edu/News/Articles/050610aids.htm

[TroglodyteScholar]

1. Nothing?

No interest, huh? I thought it was nice that someone actually did a study to show that the Rethugs' view of sex ed is fundamentally flawed.