The Mental and Social Impacts of Early Sexual Education and Sexual Disease Transmission Awareness among Young, Adolescent Girls
Published: 2023-11-18
Page: 253-258
Issue: 2023 - Volume 6 [Issue 1]
Nayrouz Helmy Hassanein Mohamed Gezaf *
Health Plus Center, UAE.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
As children grow older and gain a better perspective, they are bound to take things into their own hands more often. At such times, it is not because of the upbringing of the parents, but rather the sense of independence that the children are bound to feel from the sense of growing up. Amidst a lot of changes that take place in the minds and bodies of growing children, the sense of being aware of their bodies, sexuality, and the entire process of procreation. This usually happens around the age of puberty, when both the male and female children attains a growth spurt along with a change or enhancement in their bodily organs and functions. Along with puberty come a lot of changes that are bound to impact the mental and physical well-being of both genders. It is because of reasons like these that experts think that children should be made aware of their sexuality and the processes that follow along with it, to avoid misconceptions and the roots of evil from taking place. It has already been observed that parents who keep their children, or more appropriately ‘adolescents’ away from all sorts of sexual education and its relevant discussions, are bound to face negative consequences more than the parents who have a proper discussion with their children. These negative impacts are not only limited to children engaging in sexual activities from a very early age but also include the perspective of having unsafe, unprotected sexual intercourse without any knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and other infections that could turn deadly in the long run. Therefore, to address all these misconceptions and prove a well-researched and evidence-backed statement, this review will explore all the aspects of early sexual education and awareness among adolescent females. For the sake of convenience, the target population has been kept limited to adolescent girls only, as it would be better to judge one gender better than the other in a dedicated review. Also, because these females often turn out to be at the bigger end of the bargain, that is unwanted pregnancies. This review explored the outcomes of early sexual education and awareness among girls of different countries to compare the effectiveness of sexually transmitted disease prevention.
Keywords: Sexual education, sexual awareness, adolescent females, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy
How to Cite
References
National Academies of Sciences E, Division H and M, Education D of B and SS and, Board on Children Y, Applications C on the N and S behavioral S of AD and I, Backes EP, et al. Adolescent Development. In: The Promise of Adolescence: Realizing Opportunity for All Youth [Internet]. National Academies Press (US); 2019 [cited 2023 Oct 16].
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545476/
Jaworska N, MacQueen G. Adolescence as a unique developmental period. J Psychiatry Neurosci JPN. 2015 Sep;40(5): 291–3.
Sawyer SM, Azzopardi PS, Wickremarathne D, Patton GC. The age of adolescence. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018 Mar;2(3):223–8.
Lameiras-Fernández M, Martínez-Román R, Carrera-Fernández MV, Rodríguez-Castro Y. Sex Education in the Spotlight: What Is Working? Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health; 2021 Mar [cited 2023 Oct 16];18(5).
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7967369/
Jiménez-Ríos FJ, González-Gijón G, Martínez-Heredia N, Amaro Agudo A. Sex Education and Comprehensive Health Education in the Future of Educational Professionals. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 13;20(4):3296.
Hall KS, Sales JM, Komro KA, Santelli J. The State of Sex Education in the United States. J Adolesc Health Off Publ Soc Adolesc Med. 2016 Jun;58(6):595–7.
Navarro-Prado S, Tovar-Gálvez MI, Sánchez-Ojeda MA, Luque-Vara T, Fernández-Gómez E, Martín-Salvador A, et al. Type of Sex Education in Childhood and Adolescence: Influence on Young People’s Sexual Experimentation, Risk and Satisfaction: The Necessity of Establishing School Nursing as a Pillar. Healthcare. 2023 Jun 6;11(12):1668.
Betit AL, Kennedy C. The need for earlier implementation of comprehensive sexual education within a formal classroom setting and beyond based on the influences of technology. Cureus. 2022;14(8):e28552.
Parkes A, Wight D, Henderson M, West P. Does early sexual debut reduce teenagers’ participation in tertiary education? Evidence from the Share longitudinal study. J Adolesc. 2010 Oct;33(5–3):741–54.
Osadolor UE, Amoo EO, Azuh DE, Mfonido-Abasi I, Washington CP, Ugbenu O. Exposure to Sex Education and Its Effects on Adolescent Sexual Behavior in Nigeria. J Environ Public Health. 2022; 2022:3962011.
Grunseit A. Impact of HIV and sexual health education on the sexual behaviour of young people: a review update. In: Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet] [Internet]. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (UK); 1997 [cited 2023 Oct 16].
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK67008/
Lindberg LD, Maddow-Zimet I. Consequences of sex education on teen and young adult sexual behaviors and outcomes. J Adolesc Health Off Publ Soc Adolesc Med. 2012 Oct;51(4):332–8.
Boti N, Hussen S, Shegaze M, Shibru S, Shibiru T, Zerihun E, et al. Effects of comprehensive sexuality education on the comprehensive knowledge and attitude to condom use among first-year students in Arba Minch University: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Res Notes. 2019 Oct 26;12:700.
Ilkkaracan P. Commentary: Sexual health and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Progress or backlash? Glob Public Health. 2015 Feb 7;10(2):268–70.
Troìa L, Luisi S. Sexual function and quality of life in women with endometriosis. Minerva Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Jun;74(3): 203–21.
Female Sexual Dysfunctions: An overview on the available therapeutic interventions [Internet]; 2022. [cited 2023 Oct 16].
Schnittker J. Sexual Violence and Major Depression among Women: Evidence for Reciprocal Relationships. Soc Curr. 2019 Dec 1;6(6):575–89.
Haberland N, Rogow D. Sexuality education: emerging trends in evidence and practice. J Adolesc Health Off Publ Soc Adolesc Med. 2015 Jan;56(1):S15-21.
Kohler PK, Manhart LE, Lafferty WE. Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. J Adolesc Health Off Publ Soc Adolesc Med. 2008 Apr;42(4):344–51.
Boonmongkon P, Thaweesit S. Sexuality education in Thailand: how far do we need to go?; 2009 [cited 2023 Oct 16].
Available:https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Sexuality-education-in-Thailand%3A-how-far-do-we-need-Boonmongkon-Thaweesit/c1c6f5f870949 75598009c2b2067b96eb7a6483c
Kost K, Maddow-Zimet I, Arpaia A. Pregnancies, births and abortions among adolescents and young women in the United States: National and State Trends by Age, Race and Ethnicity; 2017 Sep 7 [cited 2023 Oct 16].
Available:https://www.guttmacher.org/report/us-adolescent-pregnancy-trends-2013
Widman L, Kamke K, Evans R, Stewart JL, Choukas-Bradley S, Golin CE. Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a brief online sexual health program for adolescents. J Sex Res. 2020 Feb;57(2): 145–54.
Development of Contextually- relevant Sexuality Education: Lessons from a Comprehensive Review of Adolescent Sexuality Education Across Cultures - PMC [Internet]. [cited 2023 Oct 16].
Available:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6406865/