A matter of facts… and more: an exploratory analysis of the content of sexuality education in The Netherlands

Abstract

The Netherlands is often recognized for its approach to adolescent sexual health, noted by the country's low rates of teen pregnancy and high contraceptive use among young people. Different studies have compared the sexual health outcomes of youth in The Netherlands with those of young people in other developed countries, and, to varying degrees, have discussed determinants related to the observed differences. Many have concluded that comprehensive sexuality education is one of the key factors contributing to the positive sexual health outcomes in The Netherlands, but few studies have looked at how Dutch sex education policy is translated into action. There is a lack of information on the content of Dutch sexuality education materials and programs. Such information is necessary for a better understanding of sexuality education in The Netherlands. This article presents a comparison of sexual health outcomes of young people in The Netherlands and the United States using the latest available data. This is followed by results of a content analysis of sexuality education materials in The Netherlands and a case study of a widely used Dutch high school sexuality program.

Notes

1. This was the first author's affiliation at the time of the research. Rebecca Ferguson is now at: Education Sector, Division for the Coordination of UN Priorities in Education, Section on HIV and AIDS, Paris, France.

2. The Dutch category ‘pill’ also includes other hormonal contraceptive methods and diaphragms, but by far the most used method in this category is the birth‐control pill. Only 1% of girls and 0.2% of boys in this category reported use of something other than the pill.