title: What schools teach our patients about sex: content, quality, and influences on sex education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify predictors of comprehensive sex education in public schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a three-stage design, 335 sex education teachers from a probability sample of 201 schools in 112 Illinois school districts were surveyed regarding the 2003-2004 school year. Coverage of at least all of the following topics constituted "comprehensiveness": abstinence, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and contraception. A logistic regression model identified predictors of comprehensiveness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Representing 91.3% of sampled schools, the teacher survey response rate was 62.4%. The most frequently taught topics included HIV/AIDS (97%), STDs (96%), and abstinence-until-marriage (89%). The least frequently taught topics were emergency contraception (31%), sexual orientation (33%), condom (34%) and other contraceptive (37%) use, and abortion (39%). Abstinence-only curricula were used by 74% of teachers, but 33% of these teachers supplemented with "other" curricula. Overall, two thirds met comprehensiveness criteria based on topics taught. Curricular material availability was most commonly cited as having a "great deal" of influence on topics taught. Thirty percent had no training in sex education; training was the only significant predictor of providing comprehensive sex education in multivariable analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Illinois public school-based sex education emphasizes abstinence and STDs and is heavily influenced by the available curricular materials. Nearly one in three sex education teachers were not trained. Obstetrician-gynecologists caring for adolescents may need to fill gaps in adolescent knowledge and skills due to deficits in content, quality, and teacher training in sex education.
  
  
  METHODS
  III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. slindau@uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Stacy Tessler
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lindau
authors.forename: Adjoa S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tetteh
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasza
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilliam
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology; D012574:Schools; D012736:Sex Education; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000523:psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching / Q000592:standards*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology