‘Sex education should be taught,fine…but we make sure they control themselves’: teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards young people's sexual and reproductive health in a Ugandan secondary school

Although schools have been identified as important settings in which young people's sexual and reproductive health (SRH) can be promoted, there has been limited research into the role of teachers in delivering sex education programmes. This paper describes findings from a qualitative study of teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards young people's SRH in a Ugandan secondary school, and discusses the ways in which conservative attitudes to young people's sexual activity and an adherence to gender stereotypes can limit students' access to SRH information and services. Teachers' attitudes, beliefs and often superstitions relating to young people's sexual activity inevitably affect the content and nature of school-based sex education. Findings from this preliminary study suggest that, rather than assuming teachers act as neutral delivery mechanisms in schools, these attitudes and beliefs must be taken into consideration and addressed in the development of school-based sex education programmes.     

Learning about sex and relationships among migrant and refugee young people in Sydney,Australia: ‘I never got the talk about the birds and the bees’

In a multicultural nation such as Australia, it is important for young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to have access to quality relationships and sexuality education, as they are known to be less well engaged with mainstream services. A study was undertaken to explore the complexities and opportunities for engaging this group with sexual and reproductive health information and care in Sydney, Australia. Interviews were undertaken with 27 migrant and refugee young people (aged 16–24 years), and 34 expert informants. Relationships and sexuality education was a dominant theme throughout both data sets. Nearly all young people reported that they were unable to discuss sexuality or sexual health with their parents, and most identified secondary school as the place where they first learned about these issues. Other sources of information were identified as the Internet, friends, health professionals and pornography. Participants appeared to have limited awareness of the different services available to them. Schools, as well as other education settings such as universities, private colleges and intensive English centres, are well placed to deliver relationships and sexuality education, and for migrant and refugee young people these may be valuable settings in which to access information rarely discussed in family or community environments.     

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) education with homeless people in Sweden

This paper describes the implementation of an educational intervention to enhance sexual health among homeless people by including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) as a part of social work provision with this group. Adult service users in different forms of temporary accommodation were provided with the opportunity to participate in three group sessions. Seventeen sessions, six with women and eleven with men, took place at six different housing facilities in Gothenburg. The intervention implementation process (which involved preparation, creation, realisation and evaluation) is described, and factors of importance are identified. Service users appreciated the opportunity to receive information and discuss sexual health, rights and norms. The success of the work may be related to the fact that the project was anchored both in social services and among service users, constantly adjusted, and delivered using a respectful approach. Social work organisations and professionals have an important role to play in acknowledging and promoting service users’ sexual health and rights, especially among disadvantaged and socially excluded groups including homeless people.     

‘Can you get pregnant when u r in the pool?’: young people's information seeking from a sexual health text line

Young people have questions about sex and development but may have trouble getting answers to them. Text messaging services can serve as a resource. This study analysed 1351 text messages sent to a sexual health text message service designed for young people in North Carolina to determine the types of questions asked of a confidential, accurate source of information. The majority of texts sought information about sexual health topics (89%). A smaller proportion asked for advice (7%) or reassurance (4%) that the sender was developing normally. Questions mainly asked about sexual acts (33.9%), unplanned pregnancy (20.2%), contraception (13.7%), physical or sexual development (12.9%) and sexually transmitted diseases (10.8%). Findings suggest that a confidential and accurate sexual health text message service could be an important resource for young people, especially if they seek advice before engaging in risky sexual behaviour.     

‘I learned to accept every part of myself’: the transformative impact of a theatre-based sexual health and HIV prevention programme

The family—via communication (or lack thereof)—is a primary avenue for sexuality education. While most research on family sexuality communication has examined the content of parent–child communication (e.g. topics discussed), relatively few studies have assessed the process, the way in which communication occurs. This paper presents an analysis of communication process based on data collected during a qualitative, observational study of family sexuality communication with thirty low‐ and middle‐income African American mothers and their adolescent daughters living in an urban area in the southeastern USA. Two dimensions of communication process emerged: affective and stylistic. Elements of the affective dimension included connection, empathy, comfort, anger, and silence. Elements of the stylistic dimension included interactive versus didactic communication styles, use of a variety of persuasive techniques, body language, and setting. Results suggest that the process of sexuality communication is as, if not more, important than content and that affectively open and stylistically interactive sexuality communication is related to the context of close and connected mother–daughter relationships.     

The digital skills paradox: how do digitally excluded youth develop skills to use the internet?

Digital skills are an important aspect of ensuring that all young people are digitally included. Yet, there tends to be an assumption in popular discourse that young people can simply learn these skills by themselves. While experience of technologies forms an important part of the learning process, other resources (i.e., access to technology and support networks) plus clear motivations are required. Through in-depth interviews with 20 young people who are digitally excluded, this paper highlights the kinds of digital skills these young people find problematic, and the reasons why they find developing these skills so challenging. We demonstrate how poor access to technology, limited support networks and their current situation prevent these young people from gaining the experiences they need to support the development of their digital skills; and how lack of experience and inadequate skills limit the extent to which they perceive the internet to be valuable in their lives. These individual experiences, shaped very much by the wider social structure of which they are part, show how young people cannot simply be left to learn digital skills by themselves and that intervention is required to try to address some of the digital inequalities apparent in younger generations.     

‘It's got to be about enjoying yourself’: young people,sexual pleasure,and sex and relationships education

Pleasure as a component of sexualities and relationships education (SRE) has been subject to much recent discussion. Arguably, academic debate has been more prominent than practitioner perspectives, with theoretical articulations and critique superseding pragmatic attention to integrating pleasure into learning about sexualities and relationships. Though there are exceptions, sexuality education that recognises pleasure and desire for young people remains absent in many contexts, despite calls for its inclusion for more than two decades. This paper offers a synthesis of expert opinion to outline the importance of pleasure and positive SRE to sexual health, rights, equality and safeguarding against coercion and harm. The paper acknowledges the often uneasy associations between sexuality, education and youth by identifying key political and academic debates, before offering a rationale on ways forward that may help persuade curriculum gatekeepers of its merits. Analysis focuses mainly on young women with reflections on current knowledge and the need for more empirically based research and theorising on boys and men. Policy developments relate to the UK, though issues raised have direct relevance for contexts where SRE is similarly contested.     

‘You shouldn’t be making people feel bad about having sex’: exploring young adults’ perceptions of a sex-positive sexual health text message intervention

Young adults are disproportionately affected by negative sexual health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections. One strategy for reducing such negative outcomes involves the use of comprehensive sexual health education. As comprehensive sexual health education programmes are adopted, there is a need to evaluate the messaging approaches that might best connect with young people. Sex-positive approaches, which describe sex as a healthy practice and personal choice, are becoming popular, but whether this strategy works has not been tested from a message design perspective. This study examines the reactions of young adults to sex-positive or sex-negative messages, framed as a gain or loss, designed for a text message-based intervention. Participants quantitatively evaluated 24 messages on their mobile phones. Gain frames were preferred over loss frames, and sex-positive messages were rated as more believable and persuasive. An interaction between the two concepts was also found. Results highlight how sex-positive messages that focus on the benefits of certain behaviours tend to resonate better with young adults. Implications for health educators and practitioners are discussed.     

医学生同伴参与理工科大学生性生殖健康教育实践与效果

目的:为促进理工科大学生性生殖健康提供理论与实践依据。方法:以某院校2017、2018级理工科156名学生为观察对象,问卷调查理工科大学生性生殖相关知识认知状况及性态度,随机抽取30名作为干预组,干预前后问卷与访谈调查理工科大学生性生殖相关知识认知状况及性行为态度。结论:医学生同伴参与理工科大学生生殖健康教育能有效提高性生殖相关知识知晓度,纠正学生错误的行为认知,有效预防艾滋病病毒和性传播疾病,转变性态度,促进大学生生殖健康。     

中国青年人生价值观初探

为了考察当代青年人生价值观的新变化,对高中生、大学生以及在职青年三个阶段的当代青年进行了人生价值观的调查,使用白编问卷,包括七个维度：物质享受取向、名誉地位取向、自我实现取向、轻松安逸取向、人际和谐取向、社会公益取向、信仰依从取向。结果发现：当代青年人总体来说是积极向上的,他们特别看重自我实现和人际家庭;男青年对名誉地位的重视程度显著高于女青年;在职青年对经济物质的重视程度显著高于大学生和高中生。