Education Program to Promote Safe Sex, Essay Example

Education program to promote safe sex practices and decrease pregnancy rates of the teenage population

The population health competencies outlined in the DNP Essentials (AACN, 2006) are anticipated to drastically curtail childbearing among teens and promote safe sex practices and decrease pregnancy rates of the teenage population. This will also help in addressing the negative outcomes that are associated with the children, their parents as well as the general society. Teen pregnancy has been associated with negative consequences to the economy because every year, about $ 9 to $ 28 billion of taxpayers’ money in the US is spent on caring for teen pregnancies (Callahan, 2007).

However, implementation of education program to promote safe sex practices and programs for prevention of pregnancy coupled by expansion of services for family planning as well as campaigns through mass media aiming promotion of safe sex is likely to reduce cases of teen pregnancy which consequently reduces the burden to the taxpayers (Zinth, 2007). The most relevant education program has attracted intensive debate as a result of the high numbers of teen pregnancies that have been reported.

In this regard, education program on abstinence together with sex education should be given priority. Sex education programs must cover such areas as safe practices during sex and the use of condoms as potential ways for promotion of safe sexual activity. The education program should address ways of avoiding unplanned pregnancies with abstinence playing a crucial role among the sexually active members of the society. Additionally, the application of contraceptives including condoms, birth pills, birth control approaches that use injections, the IUD, virginal rings and patch during sexual intercourse will contribute significantly in decreasing pregnancy rates of the teenage population.

References

Callahan, J., (2007). Abstinence education in state laws. Editorial Projects in Education Research Center.

Zinth, K., (2007). Sex education laws in the states. State Note (Education Commission of the States, Denver CO).