Health

Sex Education from Students Perspectives

Published

12 years ago

March 7, 2013

Bchcomber

Students practise proper ways of putting on condoms by using cucumbers.

CHIANGRAI – Teaching girls to put on a condom using cucumbers as substitutes can be awkward at first. But as part of the plan, university students guide school children through the process. Teen love is hard, and teen sex, if it ever comes to that, is much harder.

When Mantana Tienchaitat was 15 and decided to start a relationship with a boy, she was bombarded with questions and protests not just from her parents, but also her teachers.

Plan is working with some schools in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai regarding comprehensive sex education

”They kept telling me I was not ready to have a boyfriend. I understood then that they were worried about me but does this make sense in reality?” she said.

Now a 21-year-old senior at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Thammasat University, Mantana looks back at her puppy love experiences and admits that in most cases when it comes to teen romance, adult approval does not matter. Teen years, she said, is a period of life when girls and boys tend to make decisions based on emotion rather than reason. And the only thing they need from adults is support and understanding.

Such a problem, added Mantana, is not just an issue of communication among family members but also a serious threat to the sex education approach in Thailand. To her, when it comes to sex education, one of the most important difficulties is the fact that the young do not dare express or share their doubts about sex and relationships for fear that they will be looked at by adults in a negative light.

Realizing the importance of an appropriate approach to sex education, Mantana recently took part in ”Wairoon Mai Jued Chued Cheewit Tong Yued Yaw” (For Teens’ Colourful And Prolonged Life), a sex education workshop organized by Plan (Thailand) in collaboration with Thammasat University’s Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Plan Thailand on World AIDS Day

Plan International’s Thailand-based country director Maja Cubarrubia said that the workshop’s objective is primarily to provide students with correct, comprehensive and practical information with regard to sex and relationship issues.

”The first thing we want to do is to make sure young people can make decisions based on right information,” Cubarrubia remarked. ”When you are in love and are young, it’s hard to decide just on the basis of emotions.

”And a lot of people know that teen pregnancy is a big issue in Thailand, which is mostly because young people simply do not have the information.

”We cannot stop them from having sex. But at least if they decide to have sex, it’s based on some information so they know how to protect themselves either from unwanted pregnancy or getting infected with some disease.”

Mantana added: ”A number of adults might consider sex education as an activity that encourages kids to have sex.

”But it is not like that. Sex education gives children useful knowledge regarding sex and relationships so that they know, for example, how to turn down a guy’s request for sex or to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy.”

The entire program was created by a team of approximately 30 students from Thammasat University who were provided with content and technical support by staff from Plan (Thailand) so that they know what to talk about including condom use, pills, saying-no and negotiation techniques, as well as some significant relationship issues.

Held at Suankularbwittayalai Rangsit School, the activity focused on primary school students who are around 13 to 14 years old.

According to Assoc Prof Kalyakorn Worakullattanee, associate dean for academic affairs from Thammasat University’s Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communications, the reason why the team from Thammasat University targeted students from that certain age group is because it is the age when children are exposed to a lot of things, including a plethora of information especially from the media and it is also the age when they start having relationships.

This program equips them with the right information before they are too old to listen or before it is too late to protect themselves from unfortunate circumstances.

The entire program comprised five different workshop sessions all designed and run by Thammasat University students. Through the fun yet educational activities such as games and role play, these five practice-based workshops taught different sex- and relationship-related lessons including pregnancy-related difficulties, how to properly put on condoms, how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, how to use contraceptives and how to say ”no” if your boyfriend asks for sex and you are not ready for it.

And by having university students acting like ”teachers” instead of the actual teachers, students have a better understanding about sex and relationship issues apparently because of the smaller age gap which results in more efficient communication.

”These Thammasat University students are around 21 to 22 years old and it has not been too long since their teens,” explained Assoc Prof Kalyakorn.

”So they know the flaws of the sex education they experienced when they were in schools and know how teens feel about sex and relationships. At the same time they know how best to communicate with students and make them get the lessons in a practical and easy-to-understand approach.”

Jittreenuch Puangyod, a 14-year-old grade-8 student from Suankularbwittayalai Rangsit School, agreed with the idea of having university students teaching the young about sex and relationships. To her, sex-related lessons by university students are not just more enjoyable but also more effective than lessons taught by their school teachers.

”Many times when we are with teachers, we feel intimidated and dare not to ask questions,” Jittreenuch said after she participated in a session teaching her to put on condoms. ”But activities like this make me feel more comfortable learning about sex.

”It is a wise and effective way to enable kids to have practical knowledge _ not just theories from textbooks _ and at the same time learn how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and infectious diseases. But I think when it comes to the issue of sex education, parents are still the best source of advice.

”Parents have lots of experiences and they are definitely concerned about their kids. So I think whenever we have problems about anything in life, the person we should turn to the most is parents.”

Cubarrubia also agreed that better communication among family members should be encouraged and promoted as one of the ways to prevent unwanted pregnancy and other sex-related threats among teens.

”From statistics, we know that there is a high rate of teen pregnancy. So if there are more discussions at home and if the children and parents are open to talk about this, there will possibly be less teen pregnancy. But again it’s the whole issue of communication,” said Maja, adding that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Plan (Thailand) and Thammasat University, which allows them to work collaboratively and explore different things which will benefit Thai kids.

And because of the exposure to other cultures, there seems to be a much more accepted norm now for young people to have relationships and to have sex at an early age. And to go in line with such a norm, discussion among family members should start at an early age too.

”Children are not at home all the time and parents do not see them all the time either,” commented Cubarrubia. ”So you do not really know what kids do after school or on weekends.

”So for me, it’s better to give them the education so that they can prevent things from happening such as unprotected sex and pregnancy.”

”Thai government has become much more open [in terms of sex education]. Actually, right now Plan is working with some schools in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai regarding comprehensive sex education and the schools are very open to educate young people.

”So I can see more and more schools both in rural areas and cities to have more education. Our concern is hilltribe people or those who are not in schools. They are the ones we need to reach because they are the one to have relationships without any kind of information.”

And Mantana strongly believes that understanding and support is key to successful sex education among Thai teens these days.

”I do understand the idea of unacceptable sex out of wedlock, but I also do think that the world has changed tremendously,” commented Mantana.

”So instead of telling kids not to have a relationship or not to have sex, why not teaching them how to do so in a safe way?

”These days, unprotected sex among teens is indeed an issue and should not be overlooked. So from my perspective, I think in order to solve this problem, it is better to understand and teach children the right thing than just blaming them.

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

Published

2 months ago

October 7, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

Published

2 months ago

October 6, 2024

VORNews

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

Published

2 months ago

October 5, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP