Ohio Health Program Lets Teens Teach Their Peers About Sex
In Cleveland, Ohio a unique sex education program allows high schoolers to teach their peers about sexual health.
The peer educators receive extensive training prior to conducting classes.
The initiative is overseen by Case Western Reserve University’s Infectious Disease Alliance; they hope to combat rising rates of HIV infections in teens.
The teens educate each other on safe sex methods and STDS. In Cuyahoga County, Ohio the STD statistics are alarming:
•In Cuyahoga County, there were 364 new HIV cases reported in 2012, bringing the total to 4,591 residents living with HIV.
•In 2011, blacks made up 67.2 percent of all chlamydia cases in Cuyahoga County; 77.1 percent of all gonococcal infections, which are caused by having gonorrhea.
•In 2011, 41.8 percent of all chlamydia cases in the county were teens aged 15 to 19 years old.
Thoughts on this program?
Do you think learning from their peers is the best way to teach teens about safe sex?
Sound off below!