Program

Nurse-Midwifery M.S.

Year Approved

2021

First Advisor

Wrede, Jane

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The teen pregnancy rate in the United States was18.8 per 1000 in 2017. Although this is an all-time low for teen pregnancy in the United States, it is still the highest rate among developed countries. This literature review aimed to reveal the advantages and disadvantages of comprehensive sexual health education. Theoretical Framework: In 1947, Kurt Lewin identified three stages to the Change Theory which people go through while making change: unfreezing, change, freeze (or refreeze). These three major concepts are the force that pushes forward for change to occur. Methods: Twenty research articles were critically reviewed with the purpose of determining what the advantages and disadvantages are to comprehensive sexual education. Results/Findings: This literature review provides solid support for comprehensive sexual education as the advantages far outweigh the potential for no benefits. The following benefits were identified: increased knowledge, safer sex practices, improved self-efficacy, decreased teen pregnancy/birth rates. All of these benefits have been suggestive of significantly impacting the ability to make appropriate reproductive health decisions. Implications for Practice: The commitment nurse-midwives place on patient education and their approach to individualized patient care, presence in family planning clinics and community health, and participation in the care of pregnancy make them well positioned to address the lack of education provided to the adolescent population.

Degree Name

M.S. Nurse-Midwifery

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

Terms of Use and License Information

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

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