Ohio Abstinence Programs Contain False Information About Abortion, Contraceptives, STDs, Report Says
19 Jun 2005
Abstinence-only sex education programs in Ohio might contain false or misleading information about abortion, contraceptives and sexually transmitted diseases, according to a report released on Monday by a... Case Western Reserve University researcher, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. The 29-page report -- which was written by Scott Frank, director of Case Western's division of public health -- says that some of the state's abstinence-only programs, which are offered in 85 of the state's 88 counties, confuse religion and science, perpetuate sexist stereotypes, do not provide guidance for gay adolescents and are not taught by trained health educators (McEnery, Cleveland Plain Dealer, 6/6). According to the report, Ohio received $8.1 million in federal funding for abstinence-only education in 2004, the fourth-highest amount of funding in the nation. In fiscal year 2005, the federal government will spend about $186 million on abstinence-only education nationwide -- double the amount spent in 2001 -- and will reach about eight million teens in about one-third of U.S. schools, according to the report (Wheeler, Akron Beacon Journal, 6/7).
Report Details
The report also found that some abstinence-only programs in the state:
- Exaggerate the failure rates of condoms and do not include information on how to use a condom properly;
- Blame contraceptives for poor mental health among young people and warn that sexual activity outside of marriage can have damaging psychological effects;
- Suggest that hormonal contraceptives can increase a girl's chances of infertility later in life;
- Urge teens to "follow God's plan for purity" and remain abstinent until marriage;
- Contain inaccurate or misleading information about the transmission of STDs, including saying that HIV can be transmitted through tears and open-mouth kissing; and
- Inaccurately describe HIV as a virus that remains undetected for six months to 10 years, when most antibodies are detectable within two to eight weeks following exposure.
Recommendations, Legislative Review
The report recommends that Ohio revise its abstinence-only programs to address more fully the needs of teenagers, including providing information on contraception and STD prevention for sexually active teens, the Plain Dealer reports (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 6/6). It also recommends having experts review the content of abstinence-only programs and requiring teachers to receive credentials in sexual and reproductive health, the Washington Times reports. In addition, Congress should broaden the definition of abstinence education in order to allow federal funds to meet a range of needs for teenagers, according to the report (Wetzstein, Washington Times, 6/7). The release of the report comes as Ohio legislators are reviewing how the state's annual $455,000 allocation for abstinence-only education is used, which Frank said was intentional. He said he wants to contribute a "voice of public health reason" to the debate and encourage lawmakers to examine the scientific accuracy and effectiveness of the programs (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 6/6). The state Department of Health currently is developing a way to evaluate abstinence education programs used in the state, according to department spokesperson Jay Carey (AP/Ohio News Network, 6/7).
Reaction
Valerie Huber, the state health department abstinence education program manager, said the report is unfair and inaccurate, adding that the state has experienced positive results from its programs. Bruce Cook -- who is president of Choosing the Best, which provides abstinence-only curricula to many schools in the state -- said his organization "is committed to being medically accurate and regularly updates its materials as new information becomes available" (AP/Ohio News Network, 6/7). However, Frank said that teens need information about preventing pregnancy and STDs, in addition to abstinence education, in order to protect themselves. "I've never heard of a student being safer with less information," he said (Akron Beacon Journal, 6/7). Bill Smith, vice president for public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, said the report "provides yet more evidence to Congress that the (Bush) administration is failing miserably on oversight of these (abstinence) programs" (Washington Times, 6/7).
State Health Department Funding
Opponents of abstinence-only sex education in Ohio last month asked the state health department to stop funding the programs until there is evidence that they are effective in reducing the state's rates of teen pregnancy or STDs. The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland -- Ohio's largest HIV/AIDS service provider -- and 34 other groups throughout the state sent letters to the health department and held public forums asking the department to withhold its annual allocation for abstinence education programs. Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell and the Cleveland Department of Public Health also support the efforts to withhold state funding from abstinence-only sex education programs. The number of teen pregnancies in the state has declined over the past 10 to 15 years, and a 2001 CDC study found that more adolescents are delaying sexual intercourse and having fewer sexual partners compared with 10 years ago. However, rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV have risen in recent years, according to state health department statistics (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 5/24).
