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This study examined the opinions and attitudes of Ontario parents regarding school-based sexual health education (SHE). Results are based on surveys from 1002 parents with children attending publically funded elementary or secondary schools in Ontario, Canada. A large majority (87%) of parents strongly agreed or agreed that SHE should be provided in school and 84% believed that SHE should start by middle school. All 13 sexual health topics posed to parents were rated as important or very important to teach. These topics included puberty, abstinence, methods of contraception, sexually transmitted infections, skills for healthy relationships, communication skills, sexual orientation, and media literacy. Parents rated themselves, doctors and nurses, and the school system as the most competent sources of SHE. Parents also indicated that it is important for their children to learn from an up-to-date SHE curriculum. There were some small differences in the attitudes of mothers and fathers; however, parents with children in public and separate Catholic schools did not significantly differ in their support for SHE in the schools. This study confirms past research from across Canada indicating that there is strong and sustained parental support for broadly-based SHE in the schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adult Canadians of university age are highly sexually active compared to other age groups and are at relatively high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI). It is therefore important to comprehensively assess condom use in this age group. In this study, the prevalence and individual predictors of condom use at last penile vaginal intercourse (PVI) were assessed in a national sample of 653 Canadian university students (252 male, 401 female). Overall, less than half of students (47.2%) reported condom use at last PVI. Condom use was higher among men (55.4%) than women (42.3%). For both men and women, the most frequently cited main reason for having used a condom was birth control. In multivariate analyses, the strongest predictor of condom use at last PVI was a preference for condoms as a contraceptive method; specifically, men and women who stated condoms were their preferred method were 9 and 23 times, respectively, more likely to use condoms at last PVI than those who selected another method. Female students who reported that their most recent sexual encounter occurred with a more committed partner (e.g., committed dating versus a hook-up) had slightly lower odds of reporting condom use at last PVI. The results indicated that rates of condom use are low among Canadian university students and that many students are likely at high risk for STI. Interventions to raise awareness of STIs are needed on Canadian university campuses and educational programs should emphasize improving attitudes towards condoms in addition to developing sexual health knowledge and condom use skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]