A Post-Hoc Comparison of Two Sexual Health Curricula on Sexual Health Knowledge, Perception, and Attitudes

Abstract

A post-hoc study was conducted to ascertain the effect of comprehensive sex education on of 7th graders’ knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding sexual health and sexual identities in a small city school district in the Midwest USA. All five middle schools in the district participated, three of which used a comprehensive curriculum and two taught their existing curriculum. A total of 260 online surveys were completed by the 7th graders through Qualtrics. Chi-square tests were conducted, and the outcome showed a statistically significant difference in student perception and attitudes regarding sexual identity and orientation between the two curriculum groups. The comprehensive curriculum group scored higher than the existing curriculum group on items that indicate openness and respect regarding diversity in sexual identities and orientation. Given that LGBTQ+ students are at a greater risk to engage in self-harm and suicidal attempts, the outcome potentially suggests that a more open and accepting school atmosphere can be created by the implementation of a comprehensive sexual health curriculum. It implies that a purposive, systematic, and longitudinal effort to provide comprehensive sexual health education could also help reduce the challenges LGBTQ+ youth face outside of school.

Keywords:

• Adolescent health
• community-based participatory research
• lesbian
• gay
• transgender
• bisexual
• transgender
• questioning
• and plus (LGBTQ+) health
• comprehensive sexual health curriculum
• sexuality

Disclosure statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This study is supported by the Wisconsin Partnership Program development grant from the School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison. This research is also made possible by the collaboration with the Winnebago County Health department and the health education teachers in Oshkosh, WI.