Facilitadores de la educación sexual en adolescentes de escuelas secundarias y preparatorias públicas de Nuevo León, México

Abstract

Abstract:The aim of this paper was to make a diagnosis of sexual education taught in secondary schools and high schools in Nuevo Leon, Mexico and identify the main facilitators of such information. A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted. The population analyzed was men and women from 12 to 19 years old; the study sample was composed by 2268 interviewees from a multistage process with estimates of reliability of 95 percent and an admissible sampling error of 5 percent. It was found that 80 percent of those interviewees received some class of sex education, where the teacher was the greatest facilitator of these, followed by the counselor or psychologist and the social worker. Out of school, the 40 percent received some information about sexuality, especially from the parents. The knowledge with respect to contraceptives was 93 percent, but there is a widespread ignorance about the Biology of reproduction, the correct use of the contraceptive methods and some sexually transmitted infections. It was concluded that sex education is a key element to reduce teen pregnancy, infections of sexual transmission, abortions etc. For this reason, it is considered important that adolescents have access to a sex education with highly trained professionals in these topics.