The main determinant of teenage pregnancy is commonly seen to be poor or lack of sexual education, but this essay will outline and explore further options such as social and economic issues including the involvement of education via both schooling and the media on sexual attitudes influencing adolescent sexual behaviour.
Pregnancy amongst adolescents is common around the world; however different cultures and different geographical regions have various explanations for teenage pregnancy. This essay will expand and delve into the determinants using elements from The Seedhouse Diagram (1986).
Educational and the media are both types of determinants with sexual education seen as being biological and not involved with the emotions where as the media portrays a glamorised version of sex showing no consequences or use of contraception giving the adolescents the belief that unprotected sex is safe and consequence free.
A relationship may exist between low attendances by adolescents at school, poor accomplishment in an educational setting with a higher chance of experiencing adolescent pregnancy.
Education in schools about contraception is seen by adolescents as being delivered in a biological way which can leave the students disinterested, they may be unable to take on board what is being taught about protected sex through use of contraception because of boredom and/or embarrassment. The lack of attention paid to the educational sessions on contraception and protected sex can lead to a variety of dilemmas faced by the adolescent that can lead to early pregnancy such as incorrect usage of contraception, inconsistent usage or even the failure to use contraception.
Research by the Social Exclusion Unit (2004) has proven that there is a relationship that exists between low attendances by adolescents at school, poor accomplishment in an educational setting with a higher chance of experiencing adolescent pregnancy. Although research has shown there is a
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