Adults under age 30 are more likely than older adults to see the benefit of abstinence-only sex education programs, according to an online poll by the Harris Group.
The Harris poll is available from Harris Interactive.
The poll of 1,961 people—conducted Dec. 8-14, 2005—found that 58 percent of all adults surveyed do not believe that abstinence programs are effective in reducing HIV and AIDS. And 65 percent of all adults polled do not believe that such programs are effective in reducing unwanted pregnancies.
However, 56 percent of people ages 18 to 24, and 60 percent of people ages 25 to 29, believe such abstinence programs are effective in reducing HIV and AIDS infection rates. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 49 percent believe the programs are effective in reducing unwanted pregnancies; 52 percent of people ages 25 to 29 believed the same.