Running head: TRENDS IN SEXUAL EDUCATION; A CASE FOR SCHOOL DELIVERYPage

Trends In Sexual Education; A Case For School Delivery

Catherine Fedoruk
Norquest College
NFDN 2003
Assignment 1
Diana G.
Feb 10, 2016

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Sexual health is a key aspect of personal health and social welfare that influences
individuals across their life span (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008, p. 2). Improper
education regarding sexual health can have major impacts on an individuals life. Sexual
education is not just teaching about intercourse or sexual activity; it encompasses gender roles,
sexual orientation, body image, relationships with others, reproduction, and personal values.
Individuals who have received little or no sexual education engage in risky sexual behaviors such
as unprotected sex and multiple partners, putting them at greater risk for HIV/STI infections as
well as unplanned pregnancy. The impacts of these risky sexual behaviors, such as increased
cancer risk or future fertility issues, can affect them throughout life. Those who contract
HIV/STIs also face a lifetime of managing their disease, as well as managing possible
transmission to partners or children therefore, sex education should occur in schools as opposed
to home setting.
The importance of teaching sexual education has become a main focus in recent years.
Studies have shown that adolescents who have received some form of sexual education have
reduced STI/STD rates, lower teen pregnancy, perform fewer risky sexual behaviors, and have
improved self worth and a healthier body image. The importance of sexual education has never
been greater; teachers, parents and community resources need to work together to improve
sexual education. Studies have shown that well planned and implemented sexual health
education programs are effective in reducing STI/HIV infections and unplanned pregnancy and
help develop a positive self-image (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008).
Typically, sexual education in school teaches body image, relationships, reproductive
health and abstinence-only education. The school-based curriculum starts in grade 5 and covers
only reproductive health and anatomy, slowly advancing over the years until grade 10 where

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abstinence-only education is taught to students typically in a one or two-day course. The

evidence is strong that programs do not hasten or increase sexual behavior but, instead, some
programs delay or decrease sexual behaviors or increase condom or contraceptive use (Bennett
& Assefi, 2005).The most recent trend is to incorporate parents more into their childs sexual
education, focusing on discussion of topics such as contraception and prevention and delivered in
the home setting. Recently, Alberta Health Services launched a webpage
(www.teachingsexualhealth.com) for parents to assist in teaching their children about sexual
health. The website provides parents with teaching plans, answers to common questions,
communication strategies, healthy sexual development guides, and myths and facts in sexual
health education. The American Academy of Pediatrics research has shown that parent-child
communication on sexual education can have positive outcomes on teen sexual behavior. It
showed that parents talking to their children about their sexuality and reinforcing safer sex
reduced the incidences of HIV-related and pregnancy-related behaviors (Frappier et al., 2008). In
2005, a survey was conducted about youth and mothers in regards to sexual health and
education; youth felt their parents were the most useful or valuable sources of information in
regards to sexual education (above their peers). This survey reinforces the importance of parents
teaching and talking to their children about sexual education in the home (Frappier et al., 2008).
This shift in trend from a formal education approach toward a focus on a parental
education approach has left many adolescents without instruction. While parents are seen as an
import influence in the sexual education of their children, many parents feel uncomfortable about
discussing sexual education with their children. The American Academy of Pediatrics reported
that while parents who engage their children do improve sexual behaviour outcomes, over 38%
of adolescents have never had any form of sexual education from their parents (Frappier et al.,

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2008). In the same study, parents underestimated the role they had on their adolescents sexual
education and their importance (Frappier et al., 2008). While statistics in Canada are not
available due to the recency of the switch in trend, a similar situation in the United States has
occurred within the last 10 years. The National Surveys of Family Growth conducted a study
asking adolescents if they received education at home on a variety of topics, including birth
control, saying no to sex, how to use contraceptives, STIs, preventing HIV/AIDS, and where to
obtain contraceptives. Students were asked in 2006-2010 and again in 2011-2013; it showed a
significant increase of 17-20% in the number of teens who did not receive any education in birth
control methods, obtainment and use. Similarly, adolescents who received education on
preventing HIV/AIDS and STIs were inconsistent. While the American Academy of Pediatrics
stressed the importance of parental roles in sexual education, they also noted that various talks
were taking place too late; many parents would talk to their children about sex and
contraceptives after their children had already become sexually active.
Due to these inconstancies with parental involvement and the studies showing the decline
in education rates, I believe that sexual education should primarily be taught in the schools, with
supplementation at home. While the school education programs are slowly moving away form
abstinence-only programs, I believe that sexual education with a focus on safe sex should start
earlier. The current curriculum teaches safe sex during grade 10, which has an average age of 1516 years old. In 2010, a study of adolescents was completed to determine when students
participated in sexual intercourse, the results were approximately 23% of grade 9 males, 18% of
grade 9 females, and 31% of grade 10 males and females have had sexual intercourse. Among
the sexually active teens, 2% of girls and 6% of boys reported having their first intercourse prior
to the age of 13 (Freeman et al., 2011). Adolescents are experiencing their first sexual experience

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before they have received any formal education about safe sex practices. If sexual education was
taught even a year earlier, it would allow adolescents to make informed decisions regarding their
sexual health and studies have shown sexual education increases contraception use, in turn
reducing HIV/AIDS, STIs and pregnancy.
Currently there are many resources to aid parents, teachers and adolescents in sexual
education. Along with Teaching Sexual Health as discussed above, there is also another
informative webpage, www.sexualityandu.ca, that is aimed at all ages, providing information
about their sexual health, comparing contraceptives, reviewing anatomy and covering common
questions. Both resources discuss how to choose what is right for you, encourage contraception,
and promote body image and self worth. The resources listed deal with the trends in sexual
education by allowing individuals to take their sexual health into their own hands.
While there is a wealth of information on contraceptive options, I believe there is a
disconnect between contraception education and accessibility. I believe that while adolescents
are informed about contraception, they are unaware of resources available to them as well as
associated cost. In an informal study by the National Campaign, 68% of adolescents stated they
did not use contraception because they were worried parents would find out or were too
embarrassed (National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 2015). Financial
limitations could be another reason individuals of all ages choose not to use contraception. More
information and resources are needed to inform adolescents that medical appointments are
confidential and contraception can be obtained through a doctor or specialty clinic. The Birth
Control Center in Edmonton is a hidden gem in my opinion; they offer counselling, testing and a
variety of birth control options to low income women, specializing in teens. They emphasize
their appointments go beyond the normal doctor patient confidentiality, including blocking their

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outgoing number and identifying as Tammy from school when leaving voicemails or having the
phone answered by family members. This ensures teens have the confidence to attend
appointments at the clinic without the fear their parents will know. They provide a wealth of
information during appointments, offer free testing, condoms, and low-cost or free birth control
pills.
Shifting the current trend back to recent years when their was an emphasis on school
based education, starting sexual education with a focus on contraception and prevention earlier
and bridging the gap between education and resources will go along way in reducing the teen
pregnancy rate, HIV/STD infection rates and STIs. Broad based sexual education can also have a
major impact on the socioeconomic impacts and cost savings over the individuals life. In all,
due to declining parental involvement in sexual education and inconstancies in the quality and
comprehensiveness of education provided by those parents which are involved in the sexual
education of their children, the delivery of sexual education including coverage of safe sex
practices should primarily be the responsibility of schools as they represent a more reliable
forum to ensure wide-reaching quality education coverage and decrease rates of risky sexual
behaviours in teenagers.

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References
Alberta Health Services. (2014). Teens and trends: Get the facts on teen sexuality.
Retrieved from http://www.tasccalberta.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Teens-andTrends-EDMONTON-2014.pdf
Beckett, M. (2010). Timing of parent and child communication about sexuality relative to
childrens sexual behaviors. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/
content/pediatrics/early/2009/12/07/peds.2009-0806.full.pdf
Frappier, J. (2008). Sex and sexual health: A survey of Canadian youth and mothers.
Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Miriam_Kaufman2/
publication/23716511_Sex_and_sexual_health_A_survey_of_Canadian_youth_and_moth
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Kohler, P. (2008). Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of
sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Retrieved from http://www.jahonline.org/
article/S1054-139X%2807%2900426-0/abstract
Lindberg, L. (2016). Changes in adolescents receipt of sex education, 2006-2013.
Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139 X16000513
National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. (2015). Hide the birth
control. Retrieved from http://thenationalcampaign.org/resource/survey-says-april-2015
Sex Information & Education Council of Canada. (2010). Sexual health education in the

TRENDS IN SEXUAL EDUCATION; A CASE FOR SCHOOL DELIVERY

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schools: Questions and answers. Retrieved from http://www.sieccan.org/pdf/she_

q&a_3rd.pdf
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