Abstract

A review of public health data for the 50 states shows that southern states including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas consistently have the highest teen pregnancy, teen birth, and sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates in the USA. Furthermore, these states also lack mandates regarding sexuality education; and when sexuality education is provided, abstinence must be stressed while medically accurate information is not a specific requirement. This article synthesizes findings from recent health data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Guttmacher Institute, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, and the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care with research and professional recommendations from the scientific literature. Based on the summary of these findings, the goal of this article is to provide recommendations aimed at addressing sexual health in these states, as well as other states with abstinence-only policies, to help improve the health of young people through preventing unintended pregnancy and STD transmission.