The Conversation | Alexmia/iStock/Getty
The absence of structured, accurate education likely has implications for public health. According to the CDC, individuals ages 15 to 24 account for nearly half of all new sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas have some of the highest teen birth and sexually transmitted infection rates. Yet, these states are also among those with the most restrictive sex education policies and poorest sex ed ratings. These communities also face higher poverty, limited health care access and lower educational attainment. The combination deepens health disparities.