The Effects of State‐Mandated Abstinence‐Based Sex Education on Teen Health Outcomes

Jillian Carr and Analisa Packham

Health Economics, 2017, vol. 26, issue 4, 403-420

Abstract: In 2011, the USA had the second highest teen birth rate of any developed nation, according to the World Bank, . In an effort to lower teen pregnancy rates, several states have enacted policies requiring abstinence‐based sex education. In this study, we utilize a difference‐in‐differences research design to analyze the causal effects of state‐level sex education policies from 2000–2011 on various teen sexual health outcomes. We find that state‐level abstinence education mandates have no effect on teen birth rates or abortion rates, although we find that state‐level policies may affect teen sexually transmitted disease rates in some states. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Date: 2017
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https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.3315

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:26:y:2017:i:4:p:403-420

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