TEENAGERS are more likely to take their teacher's advice on
their next CD than on sex. So why not train teens to teach their
peers about the dangers of sexually transmitted infections and
unwanted pregnancy? Nice idea - but it doesn't always work.
That's the message from a study of over 8000 pupils in 29
British schools. Researchers led by Judith Stephenson at
University College London split the schools into those receiving
sex education from teachers and those who tried peer-education.
In this group, 16 and 17-year old-pupils were trained to give
three sex education sessions to 13 and 14-year-olds. Thirty-five
per cent of girls in the peer-taught group had sex before 16,
versus 41 per cent in the control group. But there was no
difference in condom use or pregnancy rates in the girls who had
sex pre-16. Boys' behaviour did not differ between the groups.
However, other countries ... To continue reading this article,
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