Factors facilitating implementation of school-based sexuality education in Portugal

Abstract

Objectives The aims of the study were to examine in Portuguese schools the facilitating factors at micro- and exosystem levels generally associated with more effective implementation of sexuality education (SE).

Methods A representative sample of principals/lead teachers from 296 Portuguese schools completed a questionnaire about SE at school that included items related to factors at micro- and exosystem levels. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with the development of an SE project.

Results The majority of schools (96%) implemented some form of SE. Specifically, 79% of schools had developed an SE project. The odds that a school had designed an SE project increased significantly when the school did not implement extracurricular activities only (odds ratio [OR] 7.9), when it had an SE team (OR 7.2) and when it had established partnerships (OR 4.5). Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models for each factor and each level revealed that other variables were associated with the development of a project, such as the perceived support offered by the regional education department.

Conclusions The results highlight the importance of variables at micro- and exosystem levels as facilitating factors, and reinforce the ecological approach as being well suited for SE/health education in schools. The findings have implications for policy-makers as well as for practice.

Abstract

摘要

目的 这项研究的目的是应用生态模型，从内系统和外系统两个水平来分析在葡萄牙的学校里，促进更有效的性教育的有关因素。

方法 抽取葡萄牙296所学校作为样本，由这些学校的校长和性教育课程的主管老师来完成关于学校性教育问卷调查。这份问卷调查，涵盖外系统以及内系统水平，与性教育有关的因素。应用二元和多元的Logistic回归来检验分析这些因素与性教育的关系。

结果 96%的学校有着一定形式的性教育课程，甚至有79%的学校开展了性教育项目。在有性教育项目的学校里，当学校不只是开展性教育的课外活动时，其OR值有显著的升高，为7.9，如果有性教育的团队，其OR值为7.2，当只是有确定的合作者时，其OR值仅为4.5.对内系统和外系统这两个水平的二元及多元的Logistic回归分析也发现了其他一些与性教育有关的促进因素，比如得到当地教育部门的支持。

结论 研究结果强调了学校性教育的内系统和外系统水平的各个因素的重要性，并且强调生态模型对于学校性及健康教育的分析也是适用的。同时研究结果也暗示了政策制定部门的重要性。

KEYWORDS:

• Ecological model
• Facilitating factors
• Portugal
• Schools
• Sexuality education

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This work was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal [SFRH/BD/ 74347/2010].