ArticleReproductive health2026
"Be explicit to be educated": using thematic analysis and co-design to investigate and understand sexuality education in Australian high schools.
Article in Reproductive health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundA comprehensive sexuality education is evidenced to provide youth with the skills and knowledge required to promote sexual and reproductive health. Comprehensive sexuality education is recommended globally as an effective intervention for a range of improved sexual health outcomes, including reducing sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies. The Australian curriculum, despite attempts to provide comprehensive guidance for teaching, is unsuccessful in guiding adequate sexuality education for Australian adolescents; observably, its delivery is incohesive, with the relevance and scope varying among students. Simultaneously in Australia, we sustain alarmingly high rates of sexually transmitted infections in young people and an adult population with increasing uptake of assisted reproductive technologies. The diverse identities of adolescents and the changing nature of sexuality in society warrant an in-depth exploration into the ideas and issues of youth in order to provide sexuality education that is reflective of the population it serves and improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes nationally.
methodsUtilising thematic analysis methodology, nine focus groups consisting of 2–6 Australian participants aged 15–18-year-old were analysed to better understand what is required within sexuality education. For increased validity and interpretation of data, this project utilised a Youth Advisory Group of four members to validate the thematic analysis. The study’s Youth Advisory Group further engaged in the co-design and development of recommendations for delivering sexuality education in Australia that reflected the thematic findings from the focus groups and their own lived experience.
resultsThematic analysis revealed three prominent themes within focus group participants’ experiences; “culture of sex”, “content of sexuality education” and “sources of sexuality education beyond formal education”. The qualitative analysis revealed evidence of the complex relationship between these themes and Australia’s underperforming sexuality education. While these appear to be objectively undesirable and reflect the flaws within sexuality education, they presented guidance for the recommendations, informing the co-design conducted by the Youth Advisory Group.
conclusionThe findings of this study, together with relevant literature, provide evidence for the complexities of adolescent sexual experience and endorse comprehensive sexuality education in the context of contemporary Australian high schools, promoting the appraisal of current practice for improved sexual and reproductive outcomes in Australia, now and in the future.
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