The Sexual Health Of Younger Australians

While sexual education is mandatory in almost all secondary schools across Australia, the level of depth at which it is taught varies throughout every school. Many highly important areas of sex ed, such as learning about consent, contraceptive options and violence in relationships, are less commonly taught in high school, with puberty typically being the prime topic taught in PDHPE lessons instead. But when we look at the increase in things such as sexual assault, sexual violence, Sexually Transmitted Infections and teenage pregnancy among today’s youth, we must wonder why such imperative subjects to educate teenagers on are discussed so minimally.

Human sexuality can be fascinating, complex, contradictory, and sometimes frustrating. Sexuality is interwoven into every aspect of being human; therefore, having knowledge about sex is as essential as having education about human anatomy. However, it is highly recommended to pay close attention when sex education is delivered to youths. (Donatelle 171)

Unfortunately, many young people face barriers preventing them from accessing recommended and necessary sexual health services. Stigma, discrimination, lack of knowledge, cost, transportation, and perceived lack of confidentiality all pose substantial obstacles to the services capable of providing the healthcare and education needed to help prevent STIs and other issues such as unwanted pregnancies. This paper aims to investigate a current piece of legislation addressing this issue, the Youth Access to Sexual Health Services Act (YASHSA) of 2016 (H.R. 4475, S. 3360, 2016). In 2016 Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12) introduced this bill and if enacted, the YASHSA would provide grants to specific qualifying entities to increase and improve access and pathways for marginalized youth to obtain their sexual and reproductive health care services.

We have all heard the stories about the rise in teenage pregnancies, girls dropping out of school to care for their newborns, and even those who get pregnant on purpose. This new trend is everywhere. Most parents fail to have the “talk” with their children and are left without the proper education regarding sex until its too late. With the current rates of teenage pregnancy correlated with the current rates of spreading epidemics of STD’s and HIV/AIDS, steps should be taken in an effort to aid the situation. Schools are a main source of information and education for teens, and are in a unique position that can provide adolescents with knowledgeable skills and understanding that promote sexual health. With consistent speculation surrounding

Advocates responsible for the sexual education of Australian children are less concerned with preventing early and unwanted sexualisation, and more concerned with minimizing disease and potential harms after sexual

Therefore, Australian adolescents are at serious risk as there are approximately 25% of young people reported sexually active by 15 years-old, with numbers increasing to 50% by Year 12; only 40% practice safe sex and use a condom (ACYS, 2014).Therefore, they are at greater risk of contracting STIs as a consequence of inexperience and lack of knowledge concerning risks with unprotected sex and access to contraception, social pressure, frequency of partner change, substance use and unwillingness to talk with parents or their general practitioner (DoHA, 2005). Hence, the success of lowering the prevalence of STIs among adolescents relies heavily on the knowledge about reproductive matters and access to and use of effective

Today 's casual sex culture and sexual risk may consist of adverse outcomes, as well as, emotional and psychological harm, sexually transmitted infections, sexual violence, and unintended pregnancy, despite the ubiquity of certain positive feelings.

Teen sexual health standpoints must be lifted to lodge the up-to-date compressions, myths, and the realities of the pressures and dangerous outcomes that the new generation is facing or if misinformed will soon face, in the relations of beginning to be sexually active and living a healthy and cautious sexual life in order to protect the teens from continuing to see high rates of STD reduction and transmission.

Dr. V. Chandra-Mouli, a leading World Health Organization (W.H.O) expert and representative, in a video posted on You Tube (2015) explained the numerous challenges towards educating the youth on how to achieve a happy sexual and reproductive life. Martinez, (2009) was of a similar opinion as Dr. V. Chandra-Mouli that the teenage sexual life needs to be enjoyed; however as it is, too much focus is paid on how to educate the youths about reproduction, sex or how to avoid problems. Schalet et al. (2014) identified that societal norms and values were to blame for not creating a platform for the youth to be educated on how to enjoy their sexual life.

Sexuality is an intrinsic part of being a human being. Hence, it follows that as we grow sexual development is normal and for most a point of curiosity. In an age where even a curious five year old could ask the internet where babies come from instead of asking their parents, it is becoming increasingly evident sexual education is a necessity for the sexual health of America’s youth. Sexual education is an important class that should be integrated into the public school system in order to prevent the problems of teen pregnancy and STDs such as HIV. The CDC reports that in 2015 about 230,000 babies were born to teen girls aged 15-19 and that nearly half of the 20 million new STD cases reported in 2015 were among young adults between the ages

Adolescence is a critical period of development in all areas of life including sexuality. Negligence towards this stage causes many sexual questions, conflicts and crisis to arise. The reports regarding teenage pregnancies and HIV/AIDS in Canada during the 1970’s serve as an illustration. From that moment on the growing number of sexually active youth was seen as a threat to sexual health in Canada. As a result, it encouraged school systems to institute a form of sexuality education to enhance awareness and knowledge around this issue. However, in today's society, individuals are divided by Restrictive and Permissive sexual ideologies. Proponents of Restrictive sexual ideology believe sexual behaviour should be controlled and limited to parents

Sexual education teaches adolescents about the use of birth control, their bodies, STD’s, and pregnancy. Due to the awareness of sexual education, adolescents are more careful about sexual intercourse. The pregnancy rate has reached the lowest in modern era between 1990-2010. It declined to 51% pregnancies per 1000 females ages 14-19 to 57.4%. This is the lowest recorded since 1973. Sexual education was not offered in schools until 1983 and many people had close to no knowledge about the options. Even though teens today are aware of their options today, they do not take proper precautions.

According to the Department of health (DOH) (2013), people should know and understand how to protect their sexual health but also know how to access the appropriate services. This assignment will discuss factors that may have an effect on an individual’s sexual health such as education, the socio-economic and cultural environment; how the behaviour and lifestyle choices can have an impact on health and the consequences it may have within our society. It will also discuss the importance of the nurse’s role in promoting the health and wellbeing of all individuals and reducing health

Author Bob Smith once said, “In America, when we decide to ignore a subject, our favorite form of denial is to teach it incompetently. Familiarity without true understanding is not only the basis of our families but of our educational system as well.” Smith refers to the inadequate sexual education of teenagers in the United States. Sexual education is the instruction on issues about bodily development, sex, sexuality, and relationships. Comprehensive sex education teaches about abstinence, condoms, and contraceptives to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unplanned pregnancies. As well as, the skills needed to help young people explore their own values and options. Comprehensive sexual education should be taught in the United

Teenage sexual activity has sparked an outcry within the nation. With such activity comes a high price. Studies have shown that there has been a significant rise in the number of children with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), emotional and psychological problems, and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Sex has always been discussed publically by the media, television shows, music and occasionally by parents and teachers in educational context. Teens hear them, and as the saying goes, “monkey see, monkey do”, they are tempted to experiment with it. Therefore, it is important for every teenager to be aware of the outcome associated with premature-sex. If students are educated about the impact of