Impact of a theoretically based sex education programme (SHARE) delivered by teachers on NHS registered conceptions and terminations: final results of cluster randomised trial

doi:10.1136/bmj.39014.503692.55

BMJ 2007;334:133 (20 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.39014.503692.55 (published 21 November 2006)

Research

Impact of a theoretically based sex education programme (SHARE) delivered by teachers on NHS registered conceptions and terminations: final results of cluster randomised trial

M Henderson, research scientist¹, D Wight, programme leader¹, G M Raab, professor², C Abraham, professor³, A Parkes, research associate¹, S Scott, professor⁴, G Hart, director⁵

¹ Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow G12 8RZ, ² School of Nursing Midwifery and Social Care, Napier University, Edinburgh EH4 2LD, ³ School of Social Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9SN, ⁴ Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Keele, Keele ST5 5BG, ⁵ Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Research, University College London, London WC1E 6AU

Correspondence to: M Henderson marion{at}msoc.mrc.gla.ac.uk

Objective To assess the impactof a theoretically based sex education programme (SHARE) deliveredby teachers compared with conventional education in terms ofconceptions and terminations registered by the NHS.

Design Follow-up of clusterrandomised trial 4.5 years after intervention.

Setting NHS records of womenwho had attended 25 secondary schools in east Scotland.

Participants 4196 women (99.5%of those eligible).

Intervention SHARE programme(intervention group) v existing sex education (control group).

Main outcome measure NHS recordedconceptions and terminations for the achieved sample linkedat age 20.

Results In an "intention totreat" analysis there were no significant differences betweenthe groups in registered conceptions per 1000 pupils (300 SHAREv 274 control; difference 26, 95% confidence interval –33to 86) and terminations per 1000 pupils (127 v 112; difference15, –13 to 42) between ages 16 and 20.

Conclusions This specially designedsex education programme did not reduce conceptions or terminationsby age 20 compared with conventional provision. The lack ofeffect was not due to quality of delivery. Enhancing teacherled school sex education beyond conventional provision in easternScotland is unlikely to reduce terminations in teenagers.

Trial registration ISRCTN48719575 [controlled-trials.com] .

Add to CiteULike CiteULike Add to Complore Complore Add to Connotea Connotea Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us Add to Digg Digg Add to Reddit Reddit Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon Add to Technorati Technorati What's this?

Relevant Articles

Teenage pregnancy and social disadvantage: systematic review integrating controlled trials and qualitative studies: Angela Harden, Ginny Brunton, Adam Fletcher, and Ann Oakley
BMJ 2009 339: b4254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Listen to the data when results are not significant: Catherine E Hewitt, Natasha Mitchell, and David J Torgerson
BMJ 2008 336: 23-25. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Education programme has changed since study: D Graham Mackenzie and John Taylor
BMJ 2007 334: 221. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Systematic review addresses socioeconomic inequalities: Ginny Brunton, Ann Oakley, and Angela Harden
BMJ 2007 334: 221. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Milestones, tombstones, and sex education: Douglas Kamerow
BMJ 2007 334: 0. [Extract] [Full Text]

Sexual health in adolescents: Trevor Stammers
BMJ 2007 334: 103-104. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Interventions to reduce unintended pregnancies among adolescents: systematic review of randomised controlled trials: Alba DiCenso, Gordon Guyatt, A Willan, and L Griffith
BMJ 2002 324: 1426. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Limits of teacher delivered sex education: interim behavioural outcomes from randomised trial: Daniel Wight, Gillian M Raab, Marion Henderson, Charles Abraham, Katie Buston, Graham Hart, and Sue Scott
BMJ 2002 324: 1430. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Extent of regretted sexual intercourse among young teenagers in Scotland: a cross sectional survey: Daniel Wight, Marion Henderson, Gillian Raab, Charles Abraham, Katie Buston, Sue Scott, and Graham Hart
BMJ 2000 320: 1243-1244. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

Harden, A., Brunton, G., Fletcher, A., Oakley, A. (2009). Teenage pregnancy and social disadvantage: systematic review integrating controlled trials and qualitative studies. BMJ 339: b4254-b4254 [Abstract] [Full text]
Hewitt, C. E, Mitchell, N., Torgerson, D. J (2008). Listen to the data when results are not significant. BMJ 336: 23-25 [Full text]
Mackenzie, D G., Taylor, J. (2007). Education programme has changed since study. BMJ 334: 221-221 [Full text]
Brunton, G., Oakley, A., Harden, A. (2007). Systematic review addresses socioeconomic inequalities. BMJ 334: 221-221 [Full text]
Stammers, T. (2007). Sexual health in adolescents. BMJ 334: 103-104 [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Sex education at the appropriate age: caroline scherf
bmj.com, 24 Nov 2006 [Full text]
Systematic review to address socioeconomic inequalities associated with teenage pregnancy: Ginny Brunton, et al.
bmj.com, 2 Dec 2006 [Full text]
What this study adds: David J Torgerson
bmj.com, 19 Dec 2006 [Full text]
Re: What this study adds: Gillian M Raab, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Dec 2006 [Full text]
Re: Re: What this study adds: David J Torgerson
bmj.com, 22 Dec 2006 [Full text]
SHARE has changed since study: D Graham Mackenzie, et al.
bmj.com, 19 Jan 2007 [Full text]
Impact: Jose J De Murtinho-Braga
bmj.com, 22 Jan 2007 [Full text]
Social Inclusion for Relationship and Sexual Health: Robert J Reynolds
bmj.com, 23 Jan 2007 [Full text]
Sex or Social Education?: Nina Champaneri, et al.
bmj.com, 26 Jan 2007 [Full text]
SHARE and Reconfiguration: Robert J Reynolds
bmj.com, 26 Jan 2007 [Full text]