Aboriginal young people’s perspectives and experiences of accessing sexual health services and sex education in Australia: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) young people seek information and access health services for their sexual health needs. This study examined Aboriginal young people’s perspectives on sexual health services and sex education in Australia. Overall, 51 Aboriginal people aged 16–26 years were interviewed by peer researchers in Sydney, Australia in 2019–2020. The findings suggest that the internet was used to assess information quickly and confidentially, but Aboriginal young people questioned its reliability and accuracy. Family, Elders and peers were seen as sources of advice because they had real-life experience and highlighted intergenerational learning that occurs in Aboriginal communities. School-based sex education programmes had mixed reviews, with a preference for programmes delivered by external specialists providing anonymity, clear and accurate information about sex and relationships and positive approaches to sex education, including how to gain consent before sex. There was a need identified for school-based programmes to better consider the needs of Aboriginal young people, including those who identified as LGBTQI + . Aboriginal Medical Services were highly valued for providing culturally safe access to services, while sexual health clinics were valued for providing specialised confidential clinical services with low levels of judgement.

KEYWORDS:

• Indigenous
• First Nations
• youth
• school
• Aboriginal Medical Service

Acknowledgements

Seven of the twenty authors are Aboriginal people in Australia; including the first and third authors. The project is a partnership between UNSW Sydney, the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, the South Western Sydney Local Health District and Family Planning NSW together with investigators from the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of British Columbia and Charles Darwin University. The authors acknowledge the important contributions of Tamika Briggs, Kim Beadman and all the peer interviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by Australian Research Council Linkage grant (grant number: LP170100190). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian Research Council. The Centre for Social Research in Health at UNSW Sydney receives support from the Australian Department of Health, and other external funders. National Health & Medical Research Council Investigator grants supported the salaries of authors Simon Graham (grant number: 2009727) and Michael Doyle (grant number: 1193618).