According to this research brief, the results of promoting abstinence to help delay sexual activity are best when combined with complementary messages such as providing information about condoms and reducing the number of partners.

The article is divided into three sections:

Defining Abstinence Through Behavior
The paper begins with an explanation that the term "abstinence" is not easy to define and often means different things to different people. For example, "Most faith-based groups generally view abstinence as a commitment to refrainfrom sex until marriage. Others view abstinence as delaying sex until some future time, for example, when entering into a committed relationship before marriage."

Delaying Sexual Initiation
"A major six-country study indicates that programmes including abstinence messages resulted in a delay of sexual initiation of about a year insome countries where HIV prevalence declined. The study found that Uganda as well as Zambia showed an increase in the median age of sexualdebut, along with reports of fewer sexual partners and higher condom use."

Programs Target Abstinence
Several examples of programmes in South Africa, Thailand, Zambia and Jamaica that combine messages of abstinence with condom eduation are given. Also discussed is a programme in Uganda started by the First Lady Janet Museveni that promotes only abstinence as a means to prevent pregnancy/HIV/STI.

In conclusion, the paper states that "a comprehensive and segmented approach is needed to reach youth in an effort to prevent HIV infection and promote reproductive health.... Abstinence messages need to be an integral part of HIV/STI/pregnancy prevention programs worldwide, especially for programs targeting younger youth and girls. But not all youth are sexually abstinent, and a comprehensive approach is needed, with education about using condoms for protection against unwanted pregnancy and HIV/STIs, as well as reducing the number of sexual partners."

This research brief is number 8 in a series of YouthLens briefs that summarise information on key issues regarding reproductive health and HIV prevention among youth ages 10 to 24.

YouthLens is an activity of YouthNet, a five-year programme funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development to improve reproductive health and prevent HIV among young people. The YouthNet team is led by Family Health International and includes CARE USA, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Emerging Markets, Ltd., Margaret Sanger Center International, and RTI International.

Click here to download the research brief in PDF format [154 KB].