ReviewBMC public health2023
"Not just the consequences, but also the pleasurable sex": a review of the content of comprehensive sexuality education for early adolescents in Rwanda.
Review in BMC public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The influence of gender norms on women's sexual and reproductive health outcomes: a systematic review.BMC women's health · 2025Pooled it
- Effect of a digital school-based intervention on adolescent family planning and reproductive health in Rwanda: a cluster-randomized trial.Nature medicine · 2024Trial
- Exploring the lived experiences of adolescent mothers in Burera and Nyarugenge districts, Rwanda: a phenomenological study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Exploring multisectoral collaboration in implementing comprehensive sexuality education framework at the provincial level in Zambia: a qualitative study.Global health action · 2025Article
- 'Our rights, Our lives, Our future': evaluation of a 5-year multi-country programme to enhance sexuality education in sub-Saharan Africa.Reproductive health · 2025Article
- Education, economic autonomy and digitalization as factors associated with married women's ability to make sexual and reproductive health decisions in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-level analysis of 16 countries.BMC women's health · 2025Observational
- Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in Nyarugenge and Burera districts, Rwanda.Reproductive health · 2025Article
- Adolescent-Parent Communication on Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues in Nyarugenge and Kamonyi Districts, Rwanda: A Qualitative Exploration of Adolescent Insights.Rwanda journal of medicine and health sciences · 2025Article
- Peer education programme to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Rwanda.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Article
- Adolescent awareness and experience of the pubertal changes: A qualitative study from Rwanda.PloS one · 2025Article
- The community support and its role in adolescent pregnancy and school reintegration in rural Rwanda: a mixed-methods study.Global health action · 2024Article
- Characteristics of emotional and sexuality education programs in the Spanish school population.Heliyon · 2024Article
- Factors influencing abortion care-seeking outside of formal healthcare settings: lived experiences from Rwandan young women.BMC women's health · 2024Article
- Process evaluation of comprehensive sexuality education programme in Zambia: a focus on contextual factors, mechanisms of impact, quality of development and implementation process.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- Trends in prevalence and factors associated with unintended pregnancies in Zambia (2001-2018).BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Article
- Policies for expanding family planning coverage: lessons from five successful countries.Frontiers in public health · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundResponding to adolescents' educational needs in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is central to their sexual health and achieved through school-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). In 2016, Rwanda introduced CSE through the competence-based curriculum in schools to enhance learners' knowledge about sexuality, gender, and reproductive health issues, including HIV/AIDS. However, globally, the content of CSE is sometimes dissimilar, and little evidence surrounds its scope in many settings, including Rwanda. In addition, the extent to which CSE aligns with international guidelines has yet to be well known. This study assesses major areas of CSE for early adolescents in Rwanda, analyses how CSE correlates with international guidelines and makes recommendations accordingly.
methodsWe reviewed the Rwandan competence-based curriculum to map CSE competences for early adolescents and conducted semi-structured interviews with key informants (N = 16). Eleven of the 23 curriculum documents met the selection criteria and were included in the final review. We manually extracted data using a standard form in Microsoft Excel and analysed data using frequency tables and charts. Interviews were thematically analysed in NVivo 11 for Windows.
findingsWe found 58 CSE competences for early adolescents across various subjects, increasing with school grades. All recommended CSE areas were addressed but to a variable extent. Most competences fall under four recommended areas: sexual and reproductive health; human body and development; values, rights, and sexuality; and understanding gender. The least represented area is violence and staying safe. Of the 27 expected topics, there are two to six CSE competences for 13 topics, one CSE competence for each of the six others, and none for the eight remaining ones. Qualitative findings support these findings and suggest additional content on locally controversial but recommended areas of sexual pleasure, orientation, desire and modern contraceptive methods.
conclusionThis study explores the CSE content for early adolescents in Rwanda and how they align with sexuality education standards. Ensuring equal coverage of CSE areas and addressing missing topics may improve CSE content for this age group and foster their SRHR.
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