STD Survey Department of Health Services STD Control Branch

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STD SurveyDepartment of Health ServicesSTD
Control Branch

• Whats really being taught in California high
  schools?

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The objective of the survey was to determine the
extent to which public high schools were
providing specific instruction on sexually
transmitted diseases STDs.
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The Survey

• During 2002-03, health teachers in 308 public
  high schools were contacted for phone interviews
• Of 308 high schools in the sample, 271 (88)
  teachers responded
• Every county had at least one school sampled

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Questions were asked about

• Whether or not they provided STD instruction
• At what grade level
• Number of hours
• What curricula they used
• How they received training

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Findings

• STD instruction was provided in 95.6 of
  California classrooms
• 2.6 of high schools reported no STD or HIV
  instruction
• 77.1 of the instruction was provided in 9th
  (58.5) and 10th (18.6) grades
• 37 of schools provided more than 4 hours of
  instruction, while 9.5 provide less than 1 hour

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Who is Teaching?

• Health/Family Life instructors 83
• Science Teachers 10.1
• Physical Education Teachers 6.2
• School Nurses 4.7
• Others (i.e., Home Economics) 7.8
• Outside speakers are commonly used to supplement
  instruction 32.2

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• Nearly 13 of schools reported using an
  abstinence only curriculum
• 35.3 use something they or the district
  developed
• 50 of teachers used a textbook for STD
  instruction
• Nearly 23 use this as their only source for
  instruction

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• 69.4 of teachers relied on publications or the
  internet for STD information
• 23.3 say they rely on the internet as their only
  source of information
• Less than half of teachers reported being trained
  by the school district, county office of
  education, public health department, or STD
  related organization

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Conclusions

• Apart from HIV, STD instruction is provided in
  most California schools
• Nearly 1 in 8 schools reported using an
  abstinence only curricula, which violates
  California Education Code
• Teacher training opportunities need to be
  improved and expanded
• Current, comprehensive, validated STD curricula
  need to be made available

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Finally . . .

• With the passage of SB71 in 2003, a clear mandate
  exists for STD education in addition to HIV
  instruction. This mandate provides a unique
  opportunity for local school districts and health
  departments to collaborate to ensure that
  students are receiving accurate, timely, and
  comprehensive sexual health information.

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So what is this clear mandate?

• Education Code 51933(b)(9)
• Commencing in grade 7, instruction and materials
  shall provide information about sexually
  transmitted diseases. This instruction shall
  include how STDs are and are not transmitted, the
  effectiveness and safety of all FDA approved
  methods of reducing the risk of contracting an
  STD, and information on local resources for
  testing and medical care for STDs.

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Full report is due late Spring 2004For more
information contactPaul GibsonDepartment of
Health ServicesSTD Control Branch(408)
277-2083pgibson_at_dhs.ca.gov
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• For STD training information go to
  http//www.stdhivtraining.org
• For county level STD data
• http//www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/STD/datayears.htm