Analysis of contents about sexuality and human reproduction in school textbooks in Spain

Objectives: The spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in adolescents and teenage pregnancy rates are increasing. A decrease in the average age of youth’s first sexual experience is also being noted. Sexual education programs in schools have an important role to play in addressing these issues. The objective of this study is to analyze the content of textbooks in the area of sexuality and human reproduction in order to evaluate the extent to which these textbooks promote healthy reproductive life styles, as well as risk behavior avoidance among the adolescent students. Study design: Descriptive study of school textbooks content. Methods: The study sample consisted of 12 textbooks (about 80% of all the textbooks) used in Spanish secondary school and edited in 2002. A content analysis evaluated the extent to which these books demonstrated reliable scientific information about: a) condom effectiveness; b) consequences, prevention, and treatment of STI; c) family planning methods; d) Assisted reproductive technologies and e) the promotion of healthy reproductive lifestyles. Results: All textbooks presented inaccurate information in the areas studied. Two hundred and eighty one quotes were identified that facilitated an incomplete perception of sexuality or enabled risky behavior. An average of 12.6 incorrect messages was identified in each textbook. Conclusions: The textbooks examined are neither appropriate nor comprehensive enough for adolescent education on issues of sexuality. Results suggest a need for alternative textbooks based on better scientific evidence. It is essential that textbooks empower adolescents to make healthy decisions through the promotion of useful life skills that provide a more integrated concept of sexuality. In any case, there is a need for approaches to sexual education to integrate values commonly held by parents of the youth that use such texts

La educación sexual en los textos escolares españoles: evaluación de un texto alternativo

Junto al aumento de la utilización de preservativos, asistimos también al aumento de la transmisión de infecciones de transmisión sexual, al adelanto en la edad de inicio de relaciones sexuales y al aumento de embarazos en adolescentes. En este sentido cobra especial importancia la educación sexual recibida en el último tramo de la educación obligatoria. Es importante, desde el punto de vista de la Salud Pública, desarrollar contenidos que permitan al alumno adquirir habilidades sociales que le ayuden a tomar decisiones más libres e informadas encaminadas a retrasar el inicio de las relaciones sexuales. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de la evaluación comparativa sobre los contenidos de los libros escolares del área de Biología de 3º de la ESO en su capítulo sobre sexualidad y reproducción humana con un texto escolar alternativo. Se evalúa si posibilitan la consecución de los objetivos educativos señalados en el currículo y si promocionan estilos de vida saludables que lleguen a prevenir conductas de riesgo. ------------------------Together with the increase of condom use, the spread of sexually transmitted infections, earlier ages of sexual debut and pregnancies in teenagers are also increasing. Sexual education in schools plays an important role. It is therefore important, from a public health point of view, to develop materials with contents that can help students acquire the life skills that will enable them to make free and informed decisions concerning sexuality. In this study the results of a comparative evaluation of different school texts with an alternative we have elaborated for the area of sexuality and human reproduction are presented. The extent to which these books achieve official educational objectives, promote healthy life styles and convey information enabling the prevention of risky sexual behaviours was evaluated

Analysis of contents about sexuality and human reproduction in school textbooks in Spain

Objectives: The spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in adolescents and teenage pregnancy rates are increasing. A decrease in the average age of youth’s first sexual experience is also being noted. Sexual education programs in schools have an important role to play in addressing these issues. The objective of this study is to analyze the content of textbooks in the area of sexuality and human reproduction in order to evaluate the extent to which these textbooks promote healthy reproductive life styles, as well as risk behavior avoidance among the adolescent students. Study design: Descriptive study of school textbooks content. Methods: The study sample consisted of 12 textbooks (about 80% of all the textbooks) used in Spanish secondary school and edited in 2002. A content analysis evaluated the extent to which these books demonstrated reliable scientific information about: a) condom effectiveness; b) consequences, prevention, and treatment of STI; c) family planning methods; d) Assisted reproductive technologies and e) the promotion of healthy reproductive lifestyles. Results: All textbooks presented inaccurate information in the areas studied. Two hundred and eighty one quotes were identified that facilitated an incomplete perception of sexuality or enabled risky behavior. An average of 12.6 incorrect messages was identified in each textbook. Conclusions: The textbooks examined are neither appropriate nor comprehensive enough for adolescent education on issues of sexuality. Results suggest a need for alternative textbooks based on better scientific evidence. It is essential that textbooks empower adolescents to make healthy decisions through the promotion of useful life skills that provide a more integrated concept of sexuality. In any case, there is a need for approaches to sexual education to integrate values commonly held by parents of the youth that use such texts

La educación sexual en los textos escolares españoles: evaluación de un texto alternativo

Junto al aumento de la utilización de preservativos, asistimos también al aumento de la transmisión de infecciones de transmisión sexual, al adelanto en la edad de inicio de relaciones sexuales y al aumento de embarazos en adolescentes. En este sentido cobra especial importancia la educación sexual recibida en el último tramo de la educación obligatoria. Es importante, desde el punto de vista de la Salud Pública, desarrollar contenidos que permitan al alumno adquirir habilidades sociales que le ayuden a tomar decisiones más libres e informadas encaminadas a retrasar el inicio de las relaciones sexuales. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de la evaluación comparativa sobre los contenidos de los libros escolares del área de Biología de 3º de la ESO en su capítulo sobre sexualidad y reproducción humana con un texto escolar alternativo. Se evalúa si posibilitan la consecución de los objetivos educativos señalados en el currículo y si promocionan estilos de vida saludables que lleguen a prevenir conductas de riesgo. ------------------------Together with the increase of condom use, the spread of sexually transmitted infections, earlier ages of sexual debut and pregnancies in teenagers are also increasing. Sexual education in schools plays an important role. It is therefore important, from a public health point of view, to develop materials with contents that can help students acquire the life skills that will enable them to make free and informed decisions concerning sexuality. In this study the results of a comparative evaluation of different school texts with an alternative we have elaborated for the area of sexuality and human reproduction are presented. The extent to which these books achieve official educational objectives, promote healthy life styles and convey information enabling the prevention of risky sexual behaviours was evaluated