Implementing the Condom Availability Program in Schools (Essay Sample)

Implementing the Condom Availability Program in schools will increase condom use and overall lead to improved sexual health. People make assumptions about contraception, arguing that the Availability of condoms will increase sexual activity.  This has been proven wrong because no studies show evidence regarding this matter, in fact, the availability of condoms has resulted in a decrease in sexual activity. During the years, 1991 and 1993, students who ever had sex dropped from 64% to 58% in nine high schools in Philadelphia with the CAP implemented, while rates in the others schools increased from 56% to 59% (“School-Based Condom Availability Programs”). In 1996, only 2% of schools in the US provided a Condom Availability Program along with a learning aspect/aid. Overall, schools that implemented this program had decreased rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea in male adolescents, while cases of STIs increased in schools that did not provide this program (Wretzel et al.). Students, now we're more likely to get condoms from the baskets and school clinics and seldom visited the school vending machines. Another study in Washington D.C marked that only 13% of condoms were shelved while 33% of condoms were kept behind the counter. 40% of the time, female teenagers received resistance from store clerks (“School-Based Condom Availability Programs”). Not only that but, only 14% of teenagers plan to visit a family clinic in fear of parents finding out they are sexually active, forcing teenagers to delay their visit to the clinic for a year or more; this is an indicator that those teenagers might have contracted an STI and be unaware of it, making them more likely to spread the infection.  Another comparison between New York City students and Chicago students proved that 60% of NYC students had access to condoms while 55.5% of students in Chicago did not (Guttmacher et al.). Western European countries have lower rates of STIs compared to the US, a decrease in teenage pregnancy and higher rates of first intercourse. Ultimately, making condoms available in school has serval benefits and may lead to the increased use of condoms and keep the sexual health of teenagers on track.