Assignment task:
Empirical data from recent studies show a relationship between adolescent public health education, sexuality, and increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Recent work suggests that faith-based leaders strongly preferred to emphasize abstinence messages over public health education about STDs, and generally lacked a desire to discuss sexuality (Montgomery 2008). Although leaders were willing to provide youth with health education, they were not willing to discuss specific behaviors associated with STD transmission.
Several studies have documented elevated rates of both sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and STI risk behaviors among MSM/MSMW (men who have sex with men/men who have sex with men and women) and WSW/WSMW (women who have sex with women/women who have sex with men and women) populations compared to men and women who engage exclusively in opposite-sex sexual relationships (Blake et al 2001).
STI risk may vary by both sexual identity and behavior, not only because of differences in sexual behaviors between groups, but also in part because of differences in exposure to victimization. Sexual behavior often takes place in private, but sexual identities are often made public.
How can the public health community overcome restrictions of some faith-based leaders in developing STD prevention services to the youth?
Should prevention education for youth populations be supplemented by schools, and how should the topic of sexuality and sexual orientation/identity be introduced in the context of infectious disease prevention?