Prevention of Chlamydia Infections With Theater in School Sex Education

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate if an intervention including theater in school sex education affects students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding condom use in Sweden. The study was a cluster randomized controlled trial. The intervention group got a play, value exercises, chlamydia games, condom school, and interactive replay with professional actors and staff from a youth guidance center. The control group got standard sex education from school staff. Students in both groups answered web surveys on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding condom use. Posteducation, knowledge on condom use, chlamydia, and protection had increased in both groups. However, students in the intervention group showed higher levels of knowledge, improved attitudes, and less risky behavior in regard to condom use compared to the control group. The intervention titled SAFETY seemed to be a beneficial supplement to standard sex education and more effective with regard to knowledge of condom use.

The Impact of Theatre-Based Interventions for Sexual Health Education to Adolescents: A Systematic Review

“…So we summarized the findings and divided the topics of sexual education in the studies into four categories: 1) "sexual activity," including STIs, contraception and pregnancy options, delaying sexual activity, 2) "psychological issues related to sexual health," including gender and sexuality, religion/culture, personal identity, puberty, sex-related stigma, women's apparel, increasing self-efficacy in refusal skills, building confidence, facilitating decision making about setting physical boundaries and limits, 3) "sexual violence," including rape culture, sexual violence, and 4) "communication," including peer, partner and parent communication, and social media. All 7 studies determined the effect of the intervention on "sexual activity," 3 studies on each of "psychological issues related to sexual health" [25,29,32] and "communication" [25,30,32], and only one study on "sexual violence" [32].…”

“…The theater performance method was different in selected studies. Education in three studies was based on art-based, multiple-component, and peer education (AMP) [13,28,29]. AMP uses a theater-based approach for sexual health education for high school students in school settings [25].…”

“…Also, the High School Sex Squad (HSSS) programs facilitated by AMP staff and sex squad students (divided based on their culture) mentors involving workshops, interactive games, and rituals [30]. SAFETY is performed in school by professional actors and school nurses [29]. These methods are explained in Table 1.…”

“…including STIs [13,25,[28][29][30] mental health [31], increased sexual health self-efficacy [25,32], and behavior change concerning contraception devise [29,32].…”

Perceptions of and Satisfaction with Sexual and Reproductive Health Interventions in Pre-Adolescent and Adolescent Students in UE/EEA Countries: A Systematic Review

“…Main reasons for exclusion after full-text screening were the availability of data inherent only in the prevention of unintended pregnancy, or only in affectivity, or only in information about STIs, in all cases, without covering an assessment of adolescent satisfaction. Among the included studies, study designs were heterogeneous: two papers were quasi-experimental [ 17 , 18 ], another two papers were RCTs [ 19 , 20 ], and one paper had an observational design [ 21 ].…”