(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Programs that help kids enjoy school are successful
in reducing teen pregnancy rates, according to researchers.
A recent evaluation of the Young People's Development Program (YPDP) in Britain
found that it did not decrease the number of teenage pregnancies. Researchers
concluded the program failed because it targeted and stigmatized high-risk teens
and ultimately brought them together. The YPDP kept young people out of
mainstream schools and worked with them in alternative settings.
In contrast, programs reviewed by researchers that focused on integrating teens
in the community and aimed to improve school experiences proved to be
successful. Study authors evaluated ten trials and five studies that focused on
early childhood interventions or youth development programs. Teen pregnancy
rates were almost 40 percent lower in groups that participated in youth programs
compared to those who did not.
The main themes that emerged from the qualitative studies were: dislike of
school, poverty, unhappy childhoods and low expectations for the future were all
linked to early pregnancy.
The authors conclude that "young people who have grown up unhappy, in poor
material circumstances, do not enjoy school, and are despondent about their
future may be more likely to take risks when having sex or choose to have a
baby."
They argue that policies aimed at tackling these issues, combined with high
quality sex education and contraceptive services, are successful in lowering
teen pregnancy rates.
SOURCE: bmj.com, November 12, 2009
