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(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.
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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
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