Sexually active teens who have unprotected sex is a growing concern for the Commonwealth Health Center, according to Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer Esther Mu\u00f1a.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 46 percent of CNMI high school students are sexually active and that 78 percent had unprotected sex.<\/p>\n
Documents obtained by Saipan Tribune from the Public School System indicate similar results.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, given to CNMI high school students annually, showed a vast portion of sexually active males and females: 49.1 percent of males have had sex. For female teens, 43 percent have had sex at least once.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Among students who had sex within three months before the survey was conducted, only 37.4 percent used a contraceptive during their last contact. Of that number, 25.7 percent drank alcohol or used drugs before their last sexual encounter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The data also found that more than 80 percent of student respondents received education about AIDS and HIV infection in school.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One public high school student who spoke on condition of anonymity said that she is alarmed by the numbers. \u201cI wish more of my peers would understand the consequences of having unprotected sex. It is an issue that needs to be vigorously addressed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
In an interview, Mu\u00f1a said that CHC has been working with the Public School System \u201cfor the longest time.\u201d She added, \u201cThey are our partners in all of our activities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mu\u00f1a said that part of the grant requirements for the funds the hospital receives is to work with entities like the Public School System.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are serving the same population and we want to make sure that the students are safe and healthy in every aspect.\u201d<\/p>\n
For CHC\u2019s part, Mu\u00f1a said that they are already heavily involved in conducting vaccinations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although the survey does not clearly indicate the reasons behind unprotected sex among teens, Mu\u00f1a said that teens should not be afraid or ashamed of getting condoms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always protect the patient\u2019s privacy. \u2026If they are ashamed then we need to make sure we break that barrier, so that they are able to go and get it,\u201d she said. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be something difficult for them to get. This is for their health, this is for their life and future. We need to make sure that they are able to access that.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said that the hospital will do further review of the data and continue to reach out to students.<\/p>\n
PSS has yet to issue an official statement about the survey results. Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan was not available to provide comments as of press time.<\/p>\n
In a phone interview, Board of Education member Denise Tanya King said the best approach to addressing the issue is not from a textbook.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best approach is not by getting a textbook and looking at pages and reading it. What we need is children who are older now but became pregnant in high school to talk in the classroom about the difficulties they had while raising a child,\u201d King said. \u201cThis would be the most effective way because they can relate to them, the struggles\u2026and it will really impact them much greater than if they read something in a textbook.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that children, particularly in a small community, do not feel comfortable going to the hospital and getting contraceptives.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere needs to be a place, a safe haven, where children can get contraceptives. Parents should also be knowledgeable about the repercussions when children engage in premarital sex.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
King explained that with the rise of teenage pregnancy, there \u201cneeds to be education at the adolescent level and as well as the adult level.\u201d<\/p>\n
King emphasized that parental involvement and \u201chaving the families involved in the process\u201d is a key element to tackling the issue of premarital sex among teens.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c\u201cYou have to bring in the parental involvement element\u2014that is something we as policy makers need to do a better job at doing,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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