Sex Education as Health Promotion: What Does It Take?

Abstract

Health promotion should be evidence-based, needs driven, subject to evaluation, and ecological in perspective. How can this be achieved in the context of school-based sex education? Adopting new behaviors and giving up old habits involves common decision-making, planning, motivational control, and goal prioritization processes. Consequently, despite the particular nature of sexual behavior, models of cognitive change applied to other health-related behaviors also apply to the promotion of safer sex practice. Young people are less likely to have unprotected sexual intercourse if they have acquired a variety of social skills relevant to dealing with romantic and sexual relationships. Many of these social skills and the methods employed to facilitate their development are also important to the promotion of other health behaviors. However, teaching social skills relevant to sexual behavior in classroom settings requires specialist expertise both in program design and in delivery by teachers or facilitators. Theory- and evidence-based programs designed to promote such skills and modified on the basis of effectiveness evaluations are most likely to have an impact on the rate of pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among young people. Yet, such programs may not be used in schools because of policy and cultural constraints. When this is the case, optimally effective health promotion cannot be delivered. Health promoters should acknowledge these challenges and facilitate the adoption and implementation of effective sexual health promotion programs by targeting communities and legislators.

Vol. 3, Núm. 2 (2017) Escenarios actuales de aplicación de la psicología

“…Desde este modelo las variables que se utilizan para generar cambios son muy similares a las que parten de otros modelos de salud, ubicándolas en un nivel individual (micro); se consideran aspectos como la autoestima y el desarrollo de habilidades (Banyard y Williams, 2007), empoderamiento (Cornish y Campbell, 2009;Trickett, 2009), información, actitudes y autoeficacia (DiClemente et al, 2007;Schaalma, Abraham, Gillmore y Kok, 2004) y toma de decisiones y resolución de problemas (Shoveller, Johnson, Savoy y Pietersma, 2006;Trickett, 2009).…”

The Great Condom Adventure: Analyzing College Students' Narratives of Buying Condoms

“…While slightly more than half of incoming first year college students have engaged in sexual intercourse, the number climbs to 86% by senior year (Siegel et al, 1999). Other researchers have pointed to the increase in risky sexual behaviors, especially oral sex, of self identified "virgins" who seek to delay vaginal-penile intercourse (Prinstein et al, 2003;Schaalma et al, 2004). Although these behaviors are not usually associated with condom use, STDs and HIV are transmittable via oral sex and anal sex as well as vaginal intercourse.…”

Implementation strategy for the school-based sex education program Long Live Love

“…Other studies on providing sexual education have also highlighted the importance of creating a safe environment when teaching this subject for optimal results (Vanwesenbeeck et al, 2015;Schaalma, Abraham, Gillmore, & Kok, 2004). 'Teaching well' is thus more than completeness and fidelity.…”

“…Especially sexual health education programs are poorly implemented in schools Schaalma, Abraham, Gillmore, & Kok, 2004 ;Vanwesenbeeck et al, 2015;Durlak & Dupre, 2008). This is because in most cases, in addition to being a challenging subject to teach, relational and sex education in general is not formally established in schools, it is often not a mandatory element of the school curriculum and providing relational and sex education is not always actively supported by the school board or fellow colleagues (Vanwesenbeeck et al, 2015).…”