South Carolina Print

South Carolina is one of seven states in which positive depictions of homosexuality are prohibited in schools.

Sex Education Policy

Under South Carolina law, students must receive sex education which stresses abstinence. Students can receive information on condoms and contraception only “in the context of future family planning.” See the South Carolina statute governing sex education

Health Outcomes

South Carolina has very high rates AIDS, and STIs, including having the nation’s 3rd highest gonorrhea rate. South Carolina's teen pregnancy rate is higher than the national rate, and the state's high school students reported using condoms the last time they had sex at rates lower than the national rate.

Sexual Health Stats at a Glance

 
Teen Pregnancy Rate* Teen Birth Rate* Annual rate of AIDS Diagnoses (per 100,000 people) STI Rate+ % of high school students who did not use a condom at last sex
South Carolina 79 49.1 15.6 174.7
40
National 70 39.1 11.2 100.8 39

 

*Per 1000 young women ages 15-19
+Because of concern over recent changes in Chlamydia reporting and relative low incidence of syphilis, we used the state's gonorrhea rate as a stand-in for sexually transmitted infection rates.

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