MTV knows how to get your attention.
A few weeks ago I wrote about the major press regarding teen sexual activity and the recent studies noting the failures of abstinence-only education. Consider the finding that 1 in 4 teen girls has a sexually transmitted disease (it would be reasonable then to assume similar statistics in teen boys, given only about 5% of the population identifies as LGBT and the girls needed to be exposed to the virus by someone). Toss in the news that neither abstinence-only or comprehensive sex education effectively curtailed the likelihood of teens contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
Then note that HIV/AIDS is currently the leading killer among 25-44 year olds (“Other causes” is a combination of a variety of unrelated causes of death).
Should we be expecting a strong increase in the rate of infection in teens and twenty somethings over the next decade as a result of those recent study findings? Per the statistic at the end of the PSA above, the fastest growing rate of HIV and AIDS infection is in heterosexual females under the age of 30.
Will PSAs like the one from MTV above make a difference? How shocking do health campaigns need to be to catch the attention of young adults?
No related posts.
I am of the camp that says few things are TOO shocking to not be placed in public health campaigns. Continuing to argue whether or not “abstinence-only” is effective is now a pointless conflict… nowadays, any more time spent debating a Sex Ed curriculum would simply be wasting the time and resources that could be spent actually reaching youths.
The statistics are horrifying — it is absolutely sickening that a disease that is so easily preventable kills so many people each year.
Whoa – That is one powerful ad! If that doesn’t get people’s attention and MAKE women take control of their sexual health, I wonder if anything will.
It’s amazing that religious/conservative zealots win out over a public health crisis. Now that lawmakers are starting to realize the costs of abstinence-only education; hopefully the tide will begin to turn. Esp given that the majority of parents want the children to be taught how to protect themselves in a sexual relationship.
http://www.durex.co.uk
check out free CD ROM designed especially for educators
I agree that what’s it makes STDS like HIV so devestating is that for the most part, the can be prevented. But we’d rather let urban legends like mountain dew as a great contraceptive take root, in lieu of actual information
@Jacqui
Thanks!