Trends in Teaching Sexual and Reproductive Health Skills in US Secondary Schools in 35 States, 2008 to 2018

Details

• Alternative Title:
  J Sch Health
• Personal Author:
  Young, Emily ; Demissie, Zewditu ; Brener, Nancy D. ; Benes, Sarah ; Szucs, Leigh E.
• Description:
  BACKGROUND:
  
  Little is known about trends in implementing skills-based instruction in US schools, specifically for sexual and reproductive health (SRH). We examined state-level trends in the percentage of US secondary schools teaching SRH skills in a required course in grades 6 to 8 and 9 to 12.
  
  METHODS:
  
  Representative data from 35 states participating across 6 cycles of School Health Profiles (2008–2018) was analyzed. The prevalence of teaching four SRH skills was assessed through lead health education teacher self-administered questionnaires. Logistic regression models examined linear trends in the percentages of schools teaching SRH skills in grades 6 to 8 and 9 to 12. Trends were calculated for states with weighted data (response rates ≥70%) for at least 3 cycles, including 2018.
  
  RESULTS:
  
  During 2008 to 2018, the median percentage of schools addressing each SRH skill ranged from 63.5% to 69.7% (grades 6–8) and 88.2% to 92.0% (grades 9–12). Linear decreases in SRH skills instruction were more common for grades 6 to 8 than grades 9 to 12; linear increases were comparable for both groups. Most states demonstrated no change in the percentage of schools teaching SRH skills in grades 6 to 8 and 9 to 12.
  
  CONCLUSIONS:
  
  Limited changes and decreases in SRH skills instruction in US secondary schools suggest efforts to strengthen SRH education are needed.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescents Article Health Education HIV/STIs Humans Pregnancy Prevention Reproductive Health Schools Sexual Behavior Sexual Health Sexual Health Education Skills-based Instruction Surveys And Questionnaires

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• Source:
  J Sch Health. 92(7):711-719
• Pubmed ID:
  35322428
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC9307078
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States/
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Volume:
  92
• Issue:
  7
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:fe5b010ed3875ab790e9c37a9d48a4fd8c27d9496a02d91c77f28e536d484204
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/119638/cdc_119638_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 348.01 KB ]