blog 5

In what ways could someone's culture, beliefs and practices influence contraceptive decision making? Provide thorough examples based on some of your readings and your own personal experiences. What were the beliefs about birth control/contraception within your own home and family?

Someone's culture, beliefs, and practices can influence someones decision on contraceptives because some families constantly repeats what they say and it basically becomes law. My mom found out my sister was sexually active at the age of 16. She shocked my mom because she wasn't fully aware if she was pregnant or not. After the two week waiting period on trying to find out if she was pregnant or not my mom changed her beliefs on contraceptives. Our family beliefs before that was based on Religion. Our whole family is Catholic and using contraceptives is not something that the Religion practices. Contraceptives are basically frowned upon in the Catholic faith from what the teaching taught me in the Catholic school. My father died when I was younger so my mothers culture played a big role as well. She is Filipino and her family was fairly strict with how her children were raised. My mother sheltered her three daughters from sex and any type of contraceptives until that incident. The doctor convinced my mother to let my sister Melissa get the shot.

Blog 4

Should sex education be taught in the Nation's public schools, and if so what kind of education should be provided. (abstinence-only? or abstinence plus?)

I believe sex education should be taught in public school systems because it teaches curious pre-teens and teenagers about what are the consequences and gives them knowledge for when they do become sexually active. Teenagers need to learn about sex not to scare them but to inform them that there can be down falls examples like HIV, gonorrhea, and many other sexually transmitted diseases. I don't think that teaching abstinence only would be beneficial for reasons that there is teenagers who are sexually active, but teaching about forms of protection is always a key source in helping them make the right decision if they are sexually active.

Blog 3

How can we encourage adolescents to follow healthy behaviors?  Any ideas for parents, healthcare providers, health educators, media, society, etc?

It is very beneficial to start healthy behaviors at a younger age and it becomes a routine for adolescents. A lot of encouragement is needed though with motivation and parents keeping track on their diet, exercise, and keeping an eye on signs for staying healthy. There should be more functions to educate teenagers about fitness and peer pressure. One of my best friends told me in high school she would never do drugs at any cost. One week before spring break we got into a fight and she started doing drugs. I was against drugs completely and I convinced myself I disliked her a lot so we weren’t friends anymore after that. I later found out several years later she got into alcohol and she had tried more different kinds of drugs. So I suggest the media and school should have a big impact and more mandatory or lectures on why teenagers should not be doing drugs and more topics on education to get somewhere in life.