Dr Google, porn and friend-of-a-friend: where are young men really getting their sexual health information?

Sexual Health ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Litras ◽  
Sarah Latreille ◽  
Meredith Temple-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Sexual Health Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
School Based ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections

Background Young men are vulnerable when it comes to sexual health. They attend the general practitioner (GP) less often than females and are less likely to be offered testing for sexually transmissible infections. Access to accurate health information and education is a cornerstone of primary prevention, yet we know very little about how, where and why young people obtain information about sexual health. Methods: One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 male students aged 16–19 years from two Victorian educational institutions for trade skills until data saturation was reached. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: The young men were poorly informed about sexual health. Their existing knowledge mainly came from school-based sexual health education, which while valued, was generally poorly recalled and provided only a narrow scope of physiological information. Young men seek sexual health information from various sources including family, the Internet, friends and pornography, with information from the latter three sources perceived as unreliable. GPs were seen as a source of trust-worthy information but were not accessed for this purpose due to embarrassment. Young men preferred the GP to initiate such conversations. A desire for privacy and avoidance of embarrassment heavily influenced young men’s preferences and behaviours in relation to sexual health information seeking. Conclusions: The current available sources of sexual health information for young men are failing to meet their needs. Results identify potential improvements to school-based sexual education and online resources, and describe a need for innovative technology-based sources of sexual health education.

‘Most young men think you have to be naked in front of the GP’: a qualitative study of male university students’ views on barriers to sexual health

Sexual Health ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron Ewert ◽  
Archibald Collyer ◽  
Meredith Temple-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Sexual Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health Care ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Male University Students

Background In Australia, 15- to 29-year-olds account for 75% of all sexually transmissible infection (STI) diagnoses. STI rates among young men are rising, with most diagnosed in general practice. Young men less frequently attend general practice than young women, and rarely present with sexual health issues, making it difficult for general practitioners (GPs) to offer opportunistic STI education and screening. Little is known of the barriers preventing male university students accessing general practice for sexual health care, or what would facilitate this. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young men aged 18–24 years attending university between 2012 and 2014. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using content and thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-eight interviews of 26–50 min duration found self-imposed views of masculinity, privacy and embarrassment as key barriers to accessing GPs for sexual health care. This was compounded by poor STI knowledge and not knowing when or where to go for care. Participants, except if they were international students, acknowledged school as an important source of sexual health education. The need for sexual health education at university was identified. While the Internet was a popular source, there were mixed views on the benefits of social media and text messaging for sexual health promotion. Conclusions: Current expectations of young male university students to seek sexual health care or acquire sexual health information from medical care may be misplaced. Universities have an excellent opportunity to provide young men with appropriate sexual health information and could offer novel strategies to help young men look after their sexual health.

Pilot study of Australian school-based sexual health education: parents' views

Sexual Health ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Macbeth ◽  
Patricia Weerakoon ◽  
Gomathi Sitharthan
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Teenage Pregnancy ◽  
Sexual Health Education ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
School Based ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections ◽  
Sharing Responsibility ◽  
Comprehensive Curriculum

Background: Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) among young Australians increased dramatically between 1997 and 2007 with rates of chlamydia increasing by 528% and rates of gonorrhoea by 169% among 15–19 year olds. High notification rates of STIs and teenage pregnancy point to the need to investigate sexual health education (SHE) in Australian schools. This first quantitative study investigated the attitudes and experiences of parents to SHE in Australian schools. Methods: One hundred and seventeen (117) Australian parents were recruited through purposive sampling and snowballing methods to complete an online questionnaire in 2007. Results: Most respondents (97.4%) support SHE in schools and 95.7% advocate schools and parents sharing responsibility. A majority (82.9%) believe SHE should begin in primary school with discrepancy as to when specific topics should be introduced. There is consensus for a comprehensive curriculum, including topics potentially seen as controversial such as ‘masturbation’. ‘Abstinence’ was chosen by 15.4% of parents to not be included in SHE curricula. Most parents rate the SHE their children have received in school as ‘fair’ in quality, and want access to resources to help them educate their children, including workshops at schools, information about school SHE, literature, and trained sexual health educators. Conclusions: Parents generally support SHE in schools. They want programs to begin in primary school. They consider the current school programs to be ‘fair’ in quality. Parents also point out the need for a more comprehensive curriculum and they want to be involved with schools in the development and delivery of SHE.

scholarly journals Opportunities and challenges in school-based sex and sexual health education in Nepal

1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
DR Acharya ◽  
ER Van Teijlingen ◽  
P Simkhada
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Sexual Health Education ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
School Based

This article identifies and addresses opportunities for and challenges to current school-based sex and sexual health education in Nepal. Key literature searches were conducted of electronic databases and relevant web-sites, furthermore personal contact with experts and the hand searching of key journals was included. The review of this literature generated the following challenges: Limitations to teaching including lack of life skill-based and human right-based approach, inappropriate teaching aid and reliance on conventional methods, existing policy and practice, parental/community support, and lack of research into and evaluation of sex education. Diverse methodology in teaching, implementation of peer education programme, partnership with parents, involvement of external agencies and health professionals, capacity building of teachers, access to support and service organisation, and research and evaluation in sex education have been suggested for improving the current practice of sex and sexual health education in Nepalese schools. Key words: Sex education; education; school; adolescence; Nepal DOI: 10.3126/kumj.v7i4.2773 Kathmandu University Medical Journal (2009) Vol.7, No.4 Issue 28, 445-453

Effects of Peer Sexual Health Education on College Campuses: A Systematic Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 652-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara Wong ◽  
Jennifer R. Pharr ◽  
Tim Bungum ◽  
Courtney Coughenour ◽  
Nancy L. Lough
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Peer Education ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Sexual Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Education Groups

Objective. College peer health education groups have grown in popularity to provide information about health and wellness topics. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of peer education groups on reducing sexual health risks and increasing sexual health knowledge on a college campus. Method. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed in searching, extracting, appraising, and synthesizing the evidence. A quality assessment was also conducted. The review was conducted in April 2017. Results. The initial search yielded 2,503 records. After critical appraisal, eight articles remained. Peer education was beneficial for increasing knowledge of sexual health topics and creating some behavior change such as increased condom use and HIV testing. Additionally, interventions developed specifically for women were effective. Conclusions. Peer education is an effective way to disseminate sexual health information and can be a reliable resource for college students.

scholarly journals A Mobile Health Contraception Decision Support Intervention for Latina Adolescents: Implementation Evaluation for Use in School-Based Health Centers (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen P Tebb ◽  
Sang Leng Trieu ◽  
Rosario Rico ◽  
Robert Renteria ◽  
Felicia Rodriguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Centers ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Latina Adolescents ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
School Based ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers ◽  
School Based Health Centers

BACKGROUND Health care providers are a trusted and accurate source of sexual health information for most adolescents, and clinical guidelines recommend that all youth receive comprehensive, confidential sexual health information and services. However, these guidelines are followed inconsistently. Providers often lack the time, comfort, and skills to provide patient-centered comprehensive contraceptive counseling and services. There are significant disparities in the provision of sexual health services for Latino adolescents, which contribute to disproportionately higher rates of teenage pregnancy. To address this, we developed Health-E You or Salud iTu in Spanish, an evidence-informed mobile health (mHealth) app, to provide interactive, individually tailored sexual health information and contraception decision support for English and Spanish speakers. It is designed to be used in conjunction with a clinical encounter to increase access to patient-centered contraceptive information and services for adolescents at risk of pregnancy. Based on user input, the app provides tailored contraceptive recommendations and asks the youth to indicate what methods they are most interested in. This information is shared with the provider before the in-person visit. The app is designed to prepare youth for the visit and acts as a clinician extender to support the delivery of health education and enhance the quality of patient-centered sexual health care. Despite the promise of this app, there is limited research on the integration of such interventions into clinical practice. OBJECTIVE This study described efforts used to support the successful adoption and implementation of the Health-E You app in clinical settings and described facilitators and barriers encountered to inform future efforts aimed at integrating mHealth interventions into clinical settings. METHODS This study was part of a larger, cluster randomized control trial to evaluate the effectiveness of Health-E You on its ability to reduce health disparities in contraceptive knowledge, access to contraceptive services, and unintended pregnancies among sexually active Latina adolescents at 18 school-based health centers (SBHCs) across Los Angeles County, California. App development and implementation were informed by the theory of diffusion of innovation, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute’s principles of engagement, and iterative pilot testing with adolescents and clinicians. Implementation facilitators and barriers were identified through monthly conference calls, site visits, and quarterly in-person collaborative meetings. RESULTS Implementation approaches enhanced the development, adoption, and integration of Health-E You into SBHCs. Implementation challenges were also identified to improve the integration of mHealth interventions into clinical settings. CONCLUSIONS This study provides important insights that can inform and improve the implementation efforts for future mHealth interventions. In particular, an implementation approach founded in a strong theoretical framework and active engagement with patient and community partners can enhance the development, adoption, and integration of mHealth technologies into clinical practice. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02847858; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02847858 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/761yVIRTp).

scholarly journals A qualitative assessment of the sexual-health education, training and service needs of young adults in Tehran

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narges Sheikhansari ◽  
Charles Abraham ◽  
Sarah Denford ◽  
Mehrdad Eftekhar
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Risky Sexual Behavior ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Service Needs ◽  
Sexual Health Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Education Training

Abstract Background: Sexual Health and Relationships Education (SHRE) provides individuals with the knowledge and skills set which helps them to manage risky behaviors and take informed decisions and to protect themselves against STIs, risky behavior and unintended pregnancy. Such education is minimally provided in Iranian schools and universities and previous research has indicated demand and need for SHRE among different social groups. This study explored Iranian young adults’ sexual health education, training and service needs and ways to improve or augment the existing provision.Design and methods: A qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 25 young adults who lived in Tehran, Iran and have volunteered to participate in our study. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Participants explained their need and demand for sexual health education and healthcare. They highlighted existing barriers such as lack of reliable resources, taboo and cultural barriers and lack of trust and protected confidentiality to gaining sexual health information and seeking related advice and healthcare. This has resulted in ambiguities and misconceptions, including those regarding the cause and transmission of STIs and correct use of contraceptions.They unanimously expressed their dissatisfaction with the limitedly available sexual health education and provided recommendations for an improved provision, including holding mixed gender extracurricular workshops with a comprehensive approach to sexual health and relationships education.Conclusions: There is a clear need and demand for provision of relevant and reliable sexual health and relationships education to young adults, which needs to be addressed in order for young adults to make informed choices and limit their risky sexual behavior.

scholarly journals Co-locating art and health: engaging civil society to create an enabling environment to respond to HIV in Indonesia

Sexual Health ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamee Newland ◽  
Dwi Lestari ◽  
Mashoeroel Noor Poedjanadi ◽  
Angela Kelly-Hanku
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Interactive Engagement ◽  
Stigma And Discrimination ◽  
Health Project ◽  
Shared Understandings

Background This paper will report on the successful co-location of a community-based arts and sexual health project that aimed to engage, educate and create testing, treatment and care pathways at a co-located mobile sexual health clinic and community-controlled art gallery in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Methods: Mixed methods were used to evaluate the project, including a visitor (n = 1181) and artist (n = 85) log book, a convenience audience survey (n = 231), and qualitative semi-structured interviews (n = 13) with artists and audience to explore the effect of arts-based activities on access to sexual health information and services, and stigma and discrimination. Results: In total, 85 artists curated five separate exhibitions that were attended by 1181 people, of which 62% were aged ≤24 years. Gallery attendance improved awareness and participatory and interactive engagement with sexual health information through a medium described as interesting, fun, cool, and unique. The co-located clinic facilitated informal pathways to sexual health services, including HIV/AIDS testing, treatment, and care. Importantly, the project created shared understandings and empathy that challenged stereotypes and myths, reducing stigmatising beliefs and practices. Conclusions: Arts-based programs are transformative and can be effectively implemented, replicated and scaled up in low-resource settings to create awareness and initiate for HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care. Art-based health programs engages people in their communities, mobilises civil society, builds enabling environments to reduce stigma and discrimination and improves access to testing and prevention; essential features needed to end AIDS in Indonesia (and the Southeast Asia region) while improving the lives of those most vulnerable to infection.

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