Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Health care providers often miss opportunities to communicate sexual health information to youth. When health care providers do take on the task of discussing sexual health these conversations emphasize the dangers and risks of sexual behavior, often overlooking both youth's motivations around sexual decisions and their concerns and questions. A growing number of researchers argue that a singular focus on the risks of sexual behavior limits health care providers' abilities to provide youth with needed knowledge, guidance and support. To date, little progress has been made in establishing effective ways to communicate sexual health information to youth. One first step in developing more effective ways of talking about sex is to ask youth what they need in clinical conversations that address the broader concept of sexuality, not only sexual risk. The objective of this study is to develop effective ways of talking about sex that move beyond the limitations of current approaches. The central research questions are: 1- What new content should be developed for a comprehensive model of communication? 2- What new communication strategies should be developed to respond more effectively to sexual health needs? Individual interviews and focus groups with youth will be used as a primary source of data. This study will develop comprehensive strategies that are required to inform, empower and support youth in making healthy and responsible sexual choices. Comprehensive sexual health education results in postponement of first sexual intercourse, decreases in number of partners and significantly increases condom use. This inquiry represents an important foundation for health care providers to develop more effective ways of talking about sex that extend beyond a primary focus on sexual risk. A novel youth-engaged approach concentrates on youth's perception of their sexual health needs, a rare opportunity in a conversation where adult and expert opinions predominate.