Without sex education, youth tend to indulge all the more in sex, revealed a recent study conducted by the National Institute of Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH).
The study has also revealed that most teachers are not comfortable with the idea of conducting sex education classes.
The three-year-long study conducted by the NIRRH was funded by the World Health Organization, and surveyed eight rural colleges in Thane with almost 7,000 students aged between 15 and 24.
The object of the study was to have an idea of the students’ awareness about sex.
The colleges were divided into two groups of four, and the students of one of the groups were given sex education — the experimental group –– for a year, while the other group –– the control group –– was not. The students also participated in various programmes for the evaluators to assess their sexual behaviour during the course of the study.
Before the study had commenced, it was noted that 12.8 per cent of the boys in the experimental group were indulging in sex, while the corresponding figure for the control group was 9.9 per cent.
After the study, it was found that number of boys who received sex education and were indulging in sex had dropped to 11.1 per cent.
However, this number increased in case of the control group, i.e., those who did not receive sex education, and stood at 14.1 per cent during the same time frame.
The picture was a little different in case of the girls. In the control group, it was seen that the percentage of girls who indulged in sex during the time period increased from 1.5 per cent to 5.2 per cent.
In the experimental group, the number saw less of an increase, from 0.8 per cent to 2.2 per cent.
The principal investigator of the study Dr Mohan Ghule said, “In the experimental group, not only did the number of students
who indulged in intercourse drop after they were given sex education, there was also a significant improvement in condom usage. Our programmes have greatly facilitated us in understanding all the major aspects of sexual and reproductive health.”
The study has also revealed that most teachers are not comfortable with giving lectures to students on sex. Dr Ghule said, “We found that of the 102 teachers who had attended our sex education sessions, only 22 chose to become educators.” The sexual behaviour of youth who have either dropped out of school or are not pursuing further studies is also a concern for the NIRRH.
Dr. Balaiah Donta, scientist and senior deputy director, NIRRH, said, “Our next initiative is to improve the reproductive health of ‘out of school’ youth as they are even more prone to risks. As this group is scattered, we need to reach them in different ways in order to educate them. If they are working, we have to also convince their employers to give them time, which could be difficult. It is going to be very challenging, but it is important to reach them.”
A first-hand pilot study of “out of school youth” conducted in 18 villages in Shahapur taluka in the Thane district has revealed the number of such boys indulging in coital sex is almost double the number of boys who were still studying.
This figure in case of the girls who were not studying and indulging in coital sex was 10.9 per cent as compared to a mere one per cent of girls who were studying.