Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press; 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020 - Wednesday, October 22, 1997; 6:28 p.m. EDT
Erica Bulman, Associated Press Writer
The study by UNAIDS, which coordinates AIDS prevention for the United Nations, said it reached its conclusion after reviewing 68 studies conducted in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.
The research helps debunk the myth that sex education promotes sexual activity among youth, said UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot. Rather, students who attend sex education classes tend to wait until they are older to have intercourse, have fewer partners, fewer unplanned pregnancies, and fewer sexually transmitted diseases.
The findings coincide with those of a Swiss study published in the American Journal of Health, which found that a national AIDS campaign and sex education in schools resulted in fewer sexually active 17 year olds.
In England and Sweden, the average age of those having sex for the first time is 17, while in the United States it is 16, the report said.
About half of all new HIV infections strike those 25 years old and younger, Piot said, making AIDS education imperative for young people. Most parents are happy to leave the job to the schools, if done professionally.
"Failing to provide appropriate and timely information to young people for fear of encouraging sexual activity is not a viable option," he said.
Piot said Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Zimbabwe and Uganda have exemplary sex education policies. For example, students 10 and older in Zimbabwe receive mandatory lessons on life skills and AIDS.
Despite the results, UNAIDS faces many hurdles in globalizing sex education.
For instance, in Roman Catholic countries, Pope John Paul II has urged making the family the center for information about sexuality and morality.
The Vatican issued an edict in 1995 urging parents to pull their children from programs that promote condom use to prevent pregnancy or the spread of AIDS, calling such teachings "dangerous" and "immoral."
Copyright 1997/The Associated Press. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, The Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020.
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Copyright © 1997 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
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