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Creativity is a temporally laden construct. However, the role of time remains an understudied concept with creativity, especially with how people differ in the ways they think about time. We explore the role these individual differences, called temporal individual differences, have with creativity, offering initial hypotheses for four traits: time urgency, pacing style, temporal focus, and polychronicity. We examined whether these traits relate to creativity similarly across multiple domains, different conceptualizations of creativity, and whether these relationships are linear or curvilinear. Adults from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (N = 214) completed a number of temporal individual difference measures, three conceptualizations of creativity (self-perceptions, activity, and achievement), and Big Five traits. The results indicate that temporal traits did not differentially relate to creativity across domains, but did with regard to different conceptualizations of creativity. These relationships were both linear and curvilinear, depending on the temporal trait. The results highlight that temporal individual differences impact creativity in unique ways, warranting further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School-based sexual health education plays a key role in providing young people with the information, motivation, and skills needed to enhance their sexual health. However, the extent and quality of sexual health education curricula varies across Canada. Though parents' support is often considered when making curricular decisions, there is limited data examining parental attitudes towards sexual health education across Canada. In the current study, we examined parental attitudes towards school-based sexual health education in a national sample of Canadian parents. Using an online survey, we examined overall support for the inclusion of sexual health education in schools, perceived quality of the sexual health education children received, assessed support for 33 sexual health education topics, and determined if parental support varied across geographic regions. Participants were 2,000 parents with children attending elementary and/or secondary school in Canada. The majority of parents (85%) agreed that sexual health education should be taught in the schools. Support was high across all regions in Canada, ranging from 82% in Ontario to 91% in the Atlantic provinces. However, significantly fewer parents in Ontario and Quebec supported school-based sexual health education compared to other regions. Overall, parents want a wide variety of topics included in school-based sexual health education and support the teaching of foundational topics in the early and middle school grades. The current study is the first to use a national sample to examine parents' attitudes towards sexual health education in schools. Results can inform provincial/territorial health education policies and national sexual health promotion strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery and utilization of RNA-guided surveillance complexes, such as CRISPR-Cas9, for sequencespecific DNA or RNA cleavage, has revolutionised the process of gene modification or knockdown. To optimise the use of this technology, an exploratory race has ensued to discover or develop new RNA-guided endonucleases with the most flexible sequence targeting requirements, coupled with high cleavage efficacy and specificity. Here we review the constraints of existing gene editing and assess the merits of exploiting the diversity of CRISPR-Cas effectors as a methodology for surmounting these limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Careless responding, in which respondents put forth insufficient effort to properly complete a survey, is a problem for researchers hoping to obtain accurate data in online samples. Recent studies have indicated that Big Five personality traits (particularly agreeableness and conscientiousness) are systematically related to careless responding. We expand on this research by examining the relationship between careless responding and benevolent (i.e., HEXACO personality traits, self-esteem) and malevolent (i.e., psychopathy, Machiavellianism, right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and domain-specific risk taking) traits. Using a large sample of undergraduate students ( N  = 905), we found that both benevolent and malevolent traits were related to careless responding, with malevolent traits having a larger effect. These results show that careless responding is influenced by a participant's personality and self-interest motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product dissection has been widely deployed in engineering education as a means to aid in student's understanding of functional product elements, development of new concept ideas, and their preparation for industry. However, there are large variations in the dissection activities employed in education with little research geared at understanding the impact of these variations on student cognitive load requirements and, ultimately, student conceptual understanding. This is problematic because without this knowledge, we do not know what components of product dissection impact (positively or negatively) conceptual understanding of the dissected product and how this is related to the cognitive requirements of the dissection activity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how the type of product dissected (complexity and product power source), the virtuality of the product (physical or virtual), and the type of dissection activity performed impacted student conceptual understanding and cognitive requirements through a factorial experiment with 141 engineering students. While the type of cognitive load varied between virtually and physically dissecting products, no differences were found in subsequent levels of conceptual understanding. This indicates that virtual environments may be used as a proxy for physical environments without impacting the conceptual understanding of products by students. These results are used to develop recommendations for the use of product dissection in education and propel future research that investigates relationships between example-based design practices and student understanding outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests the relationship between pleasure and condom use during penile–vaginal intercourse (PVI) is associated with relationship status. This online study examined pleasure ratings and condom use at last PVI, stratifying by partner type, among a national sample of Canadian university students. Participants were 715 undergraduates (60.7% women, 39.3% men) who reported on their most recent sexual experience. Condom use decreased with level of relationship commitment, whereas ratings of pleasure increased. Overall, participants were more likely to rate their most recent PVI asVery pleasurablewhen condoms were not used compared to when condoms were used. However, when stratified by partner type, these differences largely disappeared. For women, with one exception, there were no differences in pleasure between PVI with and without condoms across most partner-type categories. Women in committed dating relationships were more likely to report their last PVI as very pleasurable if condoms were not used than women in these same relationships who had used condoms. Across relationship categories, men who did and did not use condoms did not differ in terms of their pleasure ratings. The results of this study suggest relationship context should be taken into account when assessing condom use experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article was to examine the relationship between friendship ties and creativity. Based on the homophily hypothesis, we predicted friendship ties would more likely occur between people similar to each other on creativity-related attributes. We also predicted students would be more likely to report friendship ties with peers who have higher creativity scores in general. Across a pilot and primary study, we examined the relationship between friendship strength among high school students in a pilot study (Study 1) and friendship nominations among elementary school students in a primary study (Study 2) with creativity. In Study 2, but not Study 1, we found that friendship nominations were more likely to occur when scores on a creativity task were similar. In both studies, we found that popularity was positively related to originality (Study 1) and creativity (Study 2). The results indicate that elementary school students nominated peers as friends who are similar to them when it comes to creativity and that there is a positive relationship between popularity and creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social class inequality is growing at a record pace. What happens when individuals from different social classes work on the same team? We examined the direct and moderating influences of social class as an underexplored form of diversity on team viability in 132 student project teams. Guided by an overarching framework from the team diversity literature, we explored perspective taking and conflict resolution norms as moderators that may safeguard against the negative effects of social class diversity on team viability. As predicted, teams with a mix of higher and lower social class members who were less able to see their teammates' points of view or develop open conflict resolution norms reported less desire to work together in the future. Given these promising results and the ongoing importance of social class inequality in organizations, future research should continue to examine social class in a team context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale (K-DOCS) is a self-report, domain-specific measure assessing creativity in 5 domains: Everyday, Scholarly, Performance, Science and the Arts. J. C. Kaufman (2012) provided initial evidence for the K-DOC'S factor structure. However, the factor structure requires replication and the measure has not been validated. The current study examines the factor structure of the K-DOCS and applies the Amusement Park Theoretical hierarchical model as £ framework to establish validation evidence. Adults from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) (N = 825) and Poland (N = 500) completed the K-DOCS and a measure of the Big Five. The Polish sample also completed other creativity (e.g., CAQ, creative self-beliefs) and noncreativity (e.g., intelligence, dark triad) measures. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated the factor structure of the K-DOCS was reliable. Additionally, we demonstrate convergent and discriminant validity of the 5 K-DOCS factors based on their correlations with domaingeneral predictors of creativity and domain-specific predictors. We also explored the existence of latent profiles and found that the measure was not well represented with a profile structure. The current study demonstrates that the K-DOCS is a reliable and valid measure for assessing domain-specific creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among midlife Canadians have increased. However, there is little data on the STI behavioural risk of this age group. The current study investigated the prevalence and correlates of condom use at last penile vaginal intercourse (PVI) among sexually active single (never married, separated/divorced) Canadians aged 40 to 59 (n = 830). Men were more likely than women to report using a condom at last PVI (35.3% vs. 27.6%). Number of partners, dating status, partner type at last sex, and concern about STI were significant bivariate predictors of condom use among men and women. Age, marital status, and erectile difficulties were additional bivariate predictors for men. In multivariate analysis, marital status, number of partners, and partner type predicted condom among men. Divorced and separated men were 53% less likely to use a condom than single, never married men. Men who reported 2 or more partners over the past year were almost 2 times more likely to use a condom than men who had one partner over the past year. As partner type at last sex moved from casual to more committed, men were 26% less likely to report condom use at last PVI. Among women, partner type at last sex was the only significant multivariate predictor of condom use, as partner type moved from casual to more committed, condom use was 33% less likely. Condom use was not associated with decreased pleasure during PVI. Educational STI prevention interventions targeting single midlife Canadians are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral sex has become a standard component of the heterosexual sexual script, though little is known about the level of pleasure men and women experience from giving and receiving oral sex and the extent to which relationship context is associated with levels of pleasure. The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in giving and receiving oral sex, and associations with pleasure experienced and partner type. Participants were 899 heterosexual university students who reported on their sexual activities in their most recent sexual encounter in an online survey. Over two-thirds of participants reported that their last sexual encounter included giving and/or receiving oral sex. More women (59%) than men (52%) reported giving oral sex to their partner. More men (63%) than women (44%) reported receiving oral sex. Most men (73%) and women (69%) reported that receiving oral sex was ''very pleasurable.'' Though most participants rated giving oral sex as at least ''somewhat pleasurable,'' men were significantly more likely than women to report that giving oral sex was very pleasurable (52% vs. 28%). Overall, ratings of pleasure for giving oral sex were higher for men, but no gender differences were found for overall pleasure ratings of receiving oral sex. Regardless of gender, higher pleasure ratings were reported when giving and receiving oral sex with more committed partners compared to more casual ones. Findings highlight the utility of discussing gendered norms for sexual behaviour with young people, and including pleasure-enhancing information in sexual health education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates how the construct intellect, according to the Theoretical Intellect Framework (TIF), predicts creativity. The TIF is a theoretical model describing the structure of the construct intellect, a sub-dimension of the Big Five domain openness to experience. People (N = 2709) from two sub-samples (undergraduate students and Amazon MTurkers) completed one of three creativity tasks (self-reported, remote associates, or rated photo caption) and the Intellect Scale. The results support hypotheses derived from the TIF, as the operation Create, rather than the operations Think or Learn, significantly and in some cases uniquely predicted the self-reported creativity indicators. Creativity indicators with a strong cognitive load (remote associates test and rated photo caption), however, were predicted by the operation Think. Results are discussed with regards to the nomological net of the operation Create and the construct validity of the creativity assessments. We provide implications for applied purposes and call for further examination of the TIF with additional creativity measures. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Trends in teen pregnancy rates are a key indicator of young women's sexual and reproductive health and overall well-being. Previously available published data on teen pregnancy rates for Canada included the years 1974 to 2006. The current study extends these data by calculating teen pregnancy rates at the provincial/territorial and national levels for the years 2007 to 2010. For analytical purposes, teen pregnancy rate trend data were generated for the periods 2001 to 2010, 2001 to 2005, and 2006 to 2010. From 2001 to 2010, the Canadian teen pregnancy rate declined by 20.3%. During the period 2006 to 2010, the national teen pregnancy rate increased by 1.1% and in four provinces the rate increased by 15.1% or more (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Manitoba). Longer-term (1990 to 2010) trend data indicates that the teen pregnancy rate in Canada increased 4.9% from 1990 to 1994, then declined in each consecutive year to 2006, a decrease of 40.8%, and then increased slightly from 2006 to 2010. The overall teen pregnancy rate in Canada remains significantly lower than in the United States and in England and Wales where rates have also fallen since 2001. Abortion rate data for Canada are subject to a number of limitations. A particular limitation of this study is that teen pregnancy rate calculations were affected by the underreporting of abortions in some settings and the lack of precise age-related data on abortions conducted in some parts of Canada. For the current study, adjustments were made to the British Columbia clinic abortion data to compensate for underreporting. Imputation methods previously used to calculate teen pregnancy rates in Canada were employed when age data on clinic abortions were not available. The findings are discussed in relation to effective policies and programs to reduce unwanted teen pregnancy that include a focus on youth development and socioeconomic factors, access to effective contraception, and broadly-based sexual health education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the level of emphasis (topic not taught, minimal, considerable, heavy) placed on 18 sexual health topics within family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and undergraduate medicine programs at Canadian medical schools. Forty-one of 51 programs contacted (80.4%) returned usable questionnaires. For the three disciplines combined, the topics most likely to receive considerable or heavy emphasis were information and skills for contraception (97.6%), information and skills for prevention of STIs (75.6%), sexual violence/assault (73.2%), and female sexual dysfunction (73.2%). The topics least likely to receive considerable or heavy emphasis across disciplines were childhood sexuality (17.1%), sexuality and disability (22.0%), sexuality and aging in males (24.4%), and social and cultural differences in sexual beliefs and customs (26.8%). Findings are presented specifically for each discipline. The current study was designed to replicate a 1996 survey of sexual health training in Canadian medical schools and direct comparisons of the 2011 and 1996 results are reported here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large proportion of young people move from one sexually active dating relationship to another over the course of their teen and young adult years. A common behavioural pattern is for dating couples to use condoms the first time they have sex but to discontinue condom use as the relationship progresses and contraceptive pill use increases. A repeated pattern of condom use discontinuation in a series of dating relationships over time places individuals at an increased risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI). This study used qualitative methods to examine and illuminate the psycho-social dynamics of condom use discontinuation within dating relationships. Thirteen young women aged 18-24 currently in dating relationships were surveyed and Interviewed concerning factors influencing condom use decision-making. All of the participants used condoms the first time they had intercourse in the current relationship but over half did not use condoms at most recent intercourse. A number of themes and factors were evident in influencing patterns of condom use including general but unconfirmed assumptions about the monogamous status of the relationship and the partner's sexual history. For many of these young women condom use discontinuation was associated with an enhanced sense of trust, intimacy, and pleasure with the partner and signified a transition to a more formal relationship status. Less than half of the participants had received STI testing but those who had were confident that negative results indicated that they were at low risk for infection. The results suggest specific issues that need to be addressed in sexual health education for teens and young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes and compares the most recent available data on ten-year teen birth/abortion rates in Canada, Sweden, U.S.A., and England/Wales. From 1996 to 2006, the teen birth/abortion rate declined by 36.9% in Canada, 25% in the USA, and 4.75% in England/Wales, and increased 19.1% in Sweden. In 2006, the lowest teen birth/abortion rate per 1,000 women aged 15-19 was in Canada (27.9) followed by Sweden (31.4), England/Wales (60.3), and the U.S.A. (61.2). With respect to teen birth rates, in 2006, Sweden (6.0), and Canada (13.7) had rates substantially lower than in England/ Wales (35.0) and the U.S.A. (41.9). Canadian interprovincial/territorial differences in teen pregnancy rates, and percentage declines from 1996 to 2006, as well as declines among women aged 15-19, 20-24, and 25-29 are examined. Potential factors contributing to trends in teen pregnancy rates are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized data from the Canadian Community Health Surveys (CCHS) to examine condom use among unmarried, not living common-law (UMNCL) Canadians aged 20-34 years. Males (59.9%) were more likely than females (49.9%) to report using a condom at last sexual intercourse. Condom use at last intercourse was more likely among younger respondents aged 20-24 (63.7% males; 53.8% females) than those aged 25-29 (56.0% males; 47.1 females) or 30-34 (54.7% males; 42.2% females). Over a third (35.8%) of those who reported having more than one intercourse partner in the previous 12 months and among those who reported three or four or more partners about 30% of males and nearly 40% of females reported not using a condom at last intercourse. Among all males, the percentage that used a condom at last intercourse was significantly greater than the national average in Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and the territories, and significantly lower in Quebec. Among females, condom use was significantly higher in Ontario and significantly lower in New Brunswick and Quebec. Multivariate analysis indicated that UMNCL females aged 20-34 who lived in rural areas were less likely than their urban counterparts to have used a condom at last intercourse. Those who reported having first intercourse at age 13 or younger were significantly less likely to report using a condom at last intercourse than those whose first intercourse occurred at age 14 or older. Overall, the findings indicate that large numbers of single young adult Canadians are at elevated risk for sexually transmitted infection (STI) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to effective, broadly-based sexual health education is an important contributing factor to the health and well-being of Canadian youth. This resource document provides research-based answers to 16 common questions that parents, communities, educators, health and school administrators, and governments may have about sexual health education in the schools. These questions and answers focus on issues that include the current status of adolescent sexual health, parents' and students' opinions regarding sexual health education, the impact of sexual health education on behaviour, the key ingredients of effective programs, the appropriateness of "abstinence-only" approaches, and the social and economic benefits of providing sexual health education. This document supports sexual health education in the schools that is grounded in democratic principles, informed by credible research, and consistent with the Public Health Agency of Canada's (2008) Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores possible explanations for the rise in reported chlamydia rates among young women in Canada between 1997 and 2004 and considers whether rising rates can be used to infer a parallel increase in the actual prevalence of the infection. The transition to more sensitive testing methods is among the factors that could have contributed to the rise in reported rates. In contrast to Canada, the United States (US) monitors trends in the prevalence of chlamydia among young women as well as reported rates. The US data indicate that while reported rates of chlamydia among young women rose during the same time period, prevalence levels, when adjusted for increased use of more sensitive testing methods, remained relatively stable. While available data are insufficient to draw definitive conclusions about prevalence trends in Canada, existing studies do point to unacceptably high prevalence levels. The establishment of a sentinel chlamydia surveillance system would provide a mechanism to track prevalence trends and allocate resources for chlamydia prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the effectiveness of latex condoms for the prevention of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Condoms that are used consistently and correctly provide protection against getting or spreading STIs including HIV and most health professionals recommend its consistent use to prevent STIs among at risk persons. They are the only contraceptive method proven to reduced the risk of all STI infections as proven by the World Health Organization (WHO) and laboratory and epidemiological studies are the two major methods which assessed the effectiveness of condoms in preventing STI and HIV.

This report provides an overview of trends in teen pregnancy in Canada since 1974. In Canada, teen pregnancy rates are calculated as the sum of recorded live births, induced abortions, and miscarriages per 1,000 of the population of females aged 15 to 19. Between 1974, the year Statistics Canada began collecting and disseminating data on teen pregnancy, and 2003, the most recent year for which data is available, the teen pregnancy rate declined from 53.9 to 32.1. The decline was more pronounced among younger teens (15-17) than older teens (18-19). There were considerable variations in rates of teen pregnancy among the Canadian provinces/territories with higher rates occurring in the prairie provinces and territories. Canada, the USA, and England and Wales all saw their combined birth/ abortion rates among women under age 20 decline since 1990 and Canada's rate remains less than half the rate of both the USA and England and Wales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rates of Chlamydia are highest among 15- to 24-year-old females. Often asymptomatic, untreated chlamydia can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and result in infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain, and increased susceptibility to HIV infection. Screening at risk women for chlamydia and treating those who test positive reduces the incidence of PID. This article reviews key data and research related to Chlamydia screening of youth by primary care physicians. These issues include the prevalence of chlamydia, the cost-effectiveness of chlamydia screening programs, the need to test males for Chlamydia, the discrepancy between guidelines for screening and the reality of physician screening practices as well as research on factors associated with the likelihood of physician Chlamydia screening of youth aged 15–24 and factors associated with the likelihood of physicians conducting sexual health risk assessments with their patients. The data and research reviewed in this article highlight the need for increased primary care physician Chlamydia screening of youth and identify issues that need to be addressed in interventions designed to increase and improve physician Chlamydia screening practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the impact of tobacco, alcohol and recreational drugs on sexual functions of humans. In order to clearly articulate the known impact of substances on sexual function it is important to clarify what is meant by sexual function and its relationship to sexual pleasure and enjoyment. Smoking reduces the efficiency of blood circulation throughout the body. In men, smoking interferes with several important biological processes that are needed to produce and maintain an erection. In short smoking impairs the function of the blood vessels that are needed to get and keep an erection. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that slows down brain functioning, respiration and circulation, in higher doses it can lead to erectile dysfunction in men and decreased vaginal lubrication in women. However, the impact of marijuana, a recreational drug on sexuality and sexual function is unclear as the very limited research on this topic has produced apparently conflicting results.

Presents abstracts of articles on the impact of AIDS service organizations' programming on the sexual risk behavior of bisexual men in Ontario.

The article summarizes a report on trends in Canadian teen pregnancy, abortion and birth rates for the years 1974 to 2000. Published data from the "Canadian Youth, Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Study," are used to compare key indicators of adolescent sexual behavior measured in 1988 and 2002. There are data used to identify age-related trends in adolescent contraceptive and safer sex behavior. Corroborative data from other studies are included throughout the report. The data presented and discussed were used for the purposes of identifying priorities for adolescent sexual health care provision and sexual health education. A brief guide to conducting a clinical sexual health risk assessment with adolescent patients and clients that recognizes the diversity and emphasizes the importance of dual protection against unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Presented is a summary of recent research on various human sexuality issues in Canada, compiled during the Summer of 2004. A study on the effectiveness of condom in preventing sexually transmitted infection transmission is introduced. Another study discussed the role of condom use in reducing the risk of recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease; The impact of a cognitive-behavioral IMB-based STI and unplanned pregnancy intervention for young women is highlighted in another study. Research was likewise conducted on the sexual behavior and sexual dysfunction among men and women over age 40 from around the world. A report on the effects of postmenopausal hormone therapies on sexual function was also studied.

This article summarizes several research on: (1) the impact of advance provision of emergency contraception on adolescent women's sexual and contraceptive behavior; (2)adolescent oral sex; (3) the effectiveness of consistent condom use un preventing sexually transmitted infection; (4) the impact of infertility on couple relationships and sexuality; (5) association between ejaculation and prostate cancer risk; (6) the sexual functioning of women with ovarian cancer; and (7) news media coverage of HPV.

Presents abstracts of research on human sexuality published in academic journals. Articles include: "Once-Daily Valacyclovir to Reduce the Risk of Transmission of Genital Herpes," by L. Corey, A. Wald, R. Patel, et al; "Patterns of Contraceptive Use Within Teenagers' First Sexual Relationships," by S. Manlove, S. Ryan, and K. Franzetta; "Effects of an Intervention to Prevent Unwanted Pregnancy in Adolescents. A Randomized, Prospective Study from Norland County, Norway, 1999-2001," by B. Traeen; "Why HIV Infections Have Increased Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and What to Do About It: Findings from California Focus Groups," by S.F. Morin, K.Vernon, J.J. Harcourt, et al; "Perpetrators of Alcohol-Involved Sexual Assaults: How Do They Differ from Other Sexual Assault Perpetrators and Nonperpetrators?," by T. Zawacki, A. Abbey, P.O. Buck, P. McAuslan, and A.M. Clinton-Sherrod.

This article summarizes several researches on human sexuality. The sexual wellbeing of people who undergone hysterectomy improved and the type of surgical procedure technique does not determine the persistence or development of sexual problems post-hysterectomy. Condom use promotes regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and clearance of human papillomavirus. A small percentage of sexually active youth are practicing condom and hormonal contraception use. The American and Canadian young adults have been influenced by the globalization of sexuality in the direction of greater sexual tolerance and permissiveness.

This article updates on sex related data, collected from several sex related research. Research has consistently demonstrated that half or more of high school students become sexually active, including intercourse, before they graduate. Although rates of condom use among sexually active teens have gradually increased over time, condom use in this population is often inconsistent and far from universal. In the United States, school-based efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy and STI/HIV infection have consisted primarily of brief information-based programs designed to delay first intercourse and, in many but not all jurisdictions, information on contraception and safer sex is also provided. Another study shows that in recent years, anecdotal evidence and limited survey research has suggested that the age of onset of sexual maturation has declined among girls in the Western world. However, an earlier age of menarche has not been confirmed by studies of large representative samples of girls.

The article presents information on various studies related to sexuality. Some studies focus on recent research on sexual functioning in long-term breast cancer survivors, the treatment of antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction with sildenafil, dating violence among gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth etc. One of the research work says, with improvements in diagnosis and treatment, breast cancer mortality declined significantly during the 1990s. A growing body of evidence suggests that breast cancer survivors may among the more distressing problems experience difficulties with sexual functioning. The researchers, therefore, sought to study the impact of breast cancer on sexual functioning from a longer-term perspective. Another study informs that about 18 million Americans are diagnosed with a major depressive disorder every year and 12 to 18 million are prescribed antidepressant medication. Up to 70% of patients taking antidepressants do not take the medication as prescribed and the primary reasons cited for discontinuation are adverse effects such as sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and sleep disturbances.

The article presents information on sex research conducted in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the biennial "Youth Risk Behavior Survey," which utilizes sampling techniques that provide an overall sample representative of students in grades 9-12. The survey contains items on sexual intercourse, number of sex partners, condom use, and alcohol or drug use before last sexual intercourse. Research on "Preventing Pregnancy and Improving Health Care Access Among Teenagers: An Evaluation of the Children's AID Society - Carrera Program was conducted by S. Philliber, J. Kaye Williams, S. Herrling and E. West. The Children's AID Society - Carrera program is a year-round after school program targeting disadvantaged 13 to 15 years old. Both males and females in the program showed significantly greater increases in sexual health knowledge. The program was effective for girls but not for boys. Research on "Sexual Assertiveness in Heterosexually Active Men: A test of Three Samples" was conducted by S. Noar, P.J. Morokoff and C.A. Redding.

This instalment of "Sex Research Update" summarizes recent research on an intervention to increase female condom use; an HIV risk behaviour change intervention for high school students; the epidemiological characteristics of women with sexual dysfunction who visit sexual health clinics. The sample for the study consisted of 604 women from Baltimore, Seattle, and New York City. Women were eligible for the study if they were HIV negative, aged 17 or older, had vaginal or anal sex with a male partner in the previous three months, and were considered at risk for STI. In the first 3 sessions, the women were provided with HIV information, skills training in communication, goal setting, and use of the male condom. The fourth session emphasized the female condom and included basic information, a video demonstration, a discussion of the advantages of the female condom, and practice inserting the condom using a pelvic model. Population based epidemiological studies indicate that female sexual health problems impact on the lives of large numbers of women. Less is known about the characteristics and sexual health concerns of women who visit outpatient sexual health clinics for evaluation and treatment of sexual difficulties.

This commentary examines and critiques a recent research report (DiCenso, Guyatt, Willan, & Griffith, 2002) and subsequent media coverage suggesting that adolescent sex education programs "don't work ". Evidence supporting the efficacy of adolescent sexual health education programs is described and priority issues for the field are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on various recent research reports on sex. The study subjects were women who had a singleton vaginal delivery at a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts between August 1,1996 and February 8, 1997. Study participants were those who returned a mail in questionnaire 6 months post partum. For the analysis, the women were divided into three groups: intact group, second-degree group, and high degree group. The intact group were women with an intact perineum or a first-degree perineal tear. The second-degree group were those with a second-degree perineal tear and those in the high-degree group had either a third-degree or fourth-degree tear. Women in the intact group tended to be younger, heavier, less educated, and less likely to be living with a partner. Most of the women in each group began having intercourse by six months after giving birth. In an another research, the researchers suggest that their findings support the implementation of sexual risk reduction interventions during the late elementary school grades since interventions that reach youth before they become sexually active are more likely to have a positive behavioral impact.

This instalment of "Sex Research Update" summarizes recent research on the use of copper IUDs and the risk of tubal infertility; dating violence against adolescent girls and associated health risk behaviours; correlates and developmental trends related to first intercourse; effectiveness of an HIV transmission risk reduction intervention for people living with HIV. It has long been believed that intrauterine devices (IUDs) cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and subsequently lead to tubal infertility. Studies that indicated an association between IUDs and PID lead to the withdrawal of many IUDs from the North American market. The authors conducted a case-control study of 1895 women recruited from 3 hospitals in Mexico City. The sample was divided into three groups: infertile women with tubal occlusion, infertile women without tubal occlusion, and primigravid women. Study subjects provided a range of information including sexual behavior, contraceptive use, including copper IUDs, and history of STD. Results of the data analysis indicated that previous use of a copper IUD was not associated with an increased risk of tubal occlusion when the analyses included the tubal occlusion group and either the infertile or pregnant controls.

This document uses peer-reviewed literature to provide research-based answers to questions often posed by educators, parents, administrators, governments, and journalists about the philosophy, methods, and impact of sexual health education in the schools. Answers to the following questions are provided: Do we need sexual health education programs taught in the schools?; What values are taught in school-based sexual health education?; Should sexual health education teach young people about sexual orientation?; Should sexual health education teach young people about abstinence?; Should sexual health education teach only about abstinence?; What types of sexual health education are the most effective at helping adolescents protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy and STD?; Does teaching adolescents about contraception/condoms lead to earlier or more frequent sexual activity?; What is the impact of making condoms available to teenagers?; What should we be telling young people about the effectiveness of condoms in preventing HI V/AIDS and other STDs? This document is regularly updated and is available on the SIECCAN web site at wwwsieccan.org. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews literature supporting the development and implementation of effective HIV/STI interventions for different populations. Evaluation research indicating favourable behavioural outcomes for HIV/STI prevention interventions with adolescents, street youth, STI clinic patients, women, heterosexually active men, men who have sex with men, and communities is summarized. Research suggesting that HIV/STI prevention interventions can be cost-effective or result in cost-savings is also described. Based on the interventions reviewed, some common characteristics of behaviourally effective HIV/STI interventions are identified and discussed. These include: use of theoretical models; incorporation of behavioural skills training; emphasis on promoting condom use; helping clients create a personal sexual health plan; use of community/culturally appropriate strategies; use of peer educators and community opinion leaders; and appropriate intervention duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This installment of "Sex Research Update" summarizes recent research on postponing sexual intercourse among junior high school students; the relationship context of contraceptive use at first intercourse; the impact of HIV-positive speakers on adolescent school students; Ecstasy use among gay men; effect of body image and self-image on sexual behaviours among readers of a women's fitness magazine. There is growing evidence that the most behaviourally effective approaches to school-based sexual health education for youth combine a dual focus that addresses the information, attitudes, and skills to delay first intercourse, particularly among younger teens, and contraceptive/safer sex information, attitudes, and skills, particularly among older teens. A number of U.S. studies have measured rates of adolescent contraceptive use at first intercourse. However, relatively little is known about the many possible contextual factors that may influence whether contraceptives are used at first intercourse. The average age at first intercourse for the young women in this study was 15 years. However, the average age of the male sexual partners at first intercourse was almost 18 Years.

This installment of Sex Research Update summarizes recent research on: teen pregnancy rates in Canada; international comparisons of teen pregnancy rates; the cost effectiveness of school-based adolescent sexual health education; interventions to promote the use of female condoms. This report from Statistics Canada updates teen pregnancy data up to and including 1997. The report begins by noting that during the last quarter century, there has been an overall decline in the Canadian teen pregnancy rate. International comparisons of teenage pregnancy rates can be useful in a number of respects. First, international comparisons allow us to gain a general picture of where Canada's teen pregnancy rate is relative to the rest of the world. More importantly, international comparisons can provide a starting point for identifying relevant factors and influences related to teenage pregnancy in countries with either higher or lower rates than Canada. "Safer Choices" is a school-based curriculum designed to reduce the number of students who either begin or have sexual intercourse during their high school years and to increase condom use among students who do have sex.

This installment of "Sex Research Update" summarizes recent research on: why teenage pregnancy rates in the United States are declining; teen perspectives on pregnancy prevention; determinants of low-risk and high-risk HIV infections among Montreal university students. Although the United States continues to have one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the developed world, the teen pregnancy rate in the U.S. dropped during the 1990s. The authors then turn their attention to the question of how sexually experienced teenagers have become more successful at preventing pregnancy. They investigate three possible factors: a decrease in the frequency of intercourse; an increase in the use of contraceptives in general; and an increase in the use of more effective contraceptive methods. The development and implementation of effective teenage pregnancy prevention programs requires careful planning and evaluation. In addition to postprogram evaluations, elicitation research designed to ascertain the needs, priorities, and learning styles of target audiences is a key component of health education program development.

The article presents information of various research works related to women contraception. In the U.S., about one-half of pregnancies are unintended. A method to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure has occurred could, if widely used, help to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. Emergency contraceptive pills are a postcoital hormonal treatment consisting of high doses of oral contraceptives, intended to prevent pregnancy following unprotected intercourse. Pregnancy is a physically and psychologically complex and sometimes stressful period in the life of a woman. Not surprisingly, these stresses can have an impact on her sexuality. Since the researchers conducted the first published study on sexuality and pregnancy in the 1960's, there have been only a small number of studies investigating the impact of pregnancy on female sexual desire, function and behaviour. Coital frequency was decreased in association with dyspareunia and decreased orgasmic quality in the third trimester and these results were similar to other studies.

The article examines pre-service sexual health education training of elementary, secondary and physical and health education teachers in Canada. The effectiveness of school-based sexual health education depends, in part, on the preparation of the teachers who provide it. In the absence of published literature on the extent to which the Bachelor of Education programs at Canadian university faculties of education provide pre-service training for this role; the present study surveyed all such programs in elementary, secondary, and physical and health education to determine the extent to which their students received sexual health education training. On an average, 15.5% of the B.Ed. programs surveyed provided compulsory training in sexual health education; 26.2% had related optional courses although respondents estimated that a little over one third of their students took one of these optional courses. Overall, 39.3% provided compulsory and/or optional sexual health training (range = 32.4% for elementary education to 52.4% for physical and health education). The programs that did provide sexual health training generally assigned average or above average emphasis to all three of the key components of sexual health education (knowledge, motivation and skill development), although there was considerable variability between individual programs in time allocated and topic emphasis.

The article summarizes recent research on HIV/AIDS in Canada; the incidence and prevalence of STDs in the United States; the effectiveness of sildenafil in treating men with erectile dysfunction who have received radiotherapy for prostate cancer. The report from the division of HIV/AIDS Surveillance at the Laboratory Center for Disease Control (LCDC) provides wide-ranging data on the numbers of HIV positive test reports and AIDS diagnoses in Canada for the period ending December 31, 1998. The report cautions that continued monitoring will be required to determine if this decline is an artifact or the beginning of a trend. The LCDC report also notes "the data contained in this report provide information only on those tested and do not represent the total number of people who are infected with HIV in Canada." During the past decade the most frequently quoted figure for the number of cases of STD infection occurring each year in the United States has been 12 million. Beginning in the mid- 1970s, HIV occurred mostly in gay and bisexual men. However, since 1989, the greatest proportionate increase of reported AIDS cases has been among heterosexuals, and this trend is expected to continue.

Although all cultures seek to regulate some aspects of sexual behaviour, particularly out of wedlock, they appear to vary in their moral attitudes toward premarital sex, extramarital sex, arid homosexuality. It has been difficult to draw definitive conclusions about cultural differences on these issues because there has been little cross-cultural or cross-national research using identical questionnaire items and available studies have often not used nationally representative samples. The authors report on newly available survey findings on extramarital sex, homosexual sex, premarital sex, and teen sex from 24 countries. The nationally representative data were collected in 1994 as part of the International Social Survey Program. The total sample consisted of 33,590 people. Survey respondents were asked four questions about sexual morality: "Do you think it is wrong or not wrong for a man and woman to have sexual relations before marriage?"; "What if they are in their early teens, say under 16 years old?"; `What about a married person having sexual relations with someone other than his or her husband or wife?"; "What about sexual relations between two adults of the same sex?" For each item, respondents were asked to choose either "always wrong", "almost always wrong", "wrong only sometimes", or "not wrong at all."

The article presents information about training in sexual health and sexually transmitted disease prevention in Canadian medical schools. This is the first national study to provide detailed documentation and analysis of the extent and content of sexual health topic coverage in Canadian medical school programs in undergraduate medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, urology and psychiatry. Some programs greatly exceeded such expectation but there was considerably more program variability within each field than might have been expected given the medical relevance of the topics to their specialty. Physicians encounter a range of opportunities to address sexual health issues in practice and their medical training should therefore prepare them to recognize and respond to their patients' needs and expectations in this area of medical care. Physicians who incorporate information and counseling into their primary care preventive interventions do, in fact, have an impact on patients' health-related behavior and there is evidence that physicians trained to address sexual health topics can have similar effects on sexual health behavior.

The article summarizes recent research on abstinence and safer sex based HIV-risk reduction interventions for adolescents; sex offender recidivism; oral medication for erectile dysfunction; the sexual health knowledge of Nova Scotia adolescents; an HIV-risk reduction intervention for homeless men with mental illness; the content of popular magazine articles on parent-child communication about sexuality; and the effects of making emergency contraception available without a prescription. In the article "Abstinence and safer-sex HIV risk-reduction interventions for African American adolescents: A randomized controlled trial," by J.B. Jemmott, L.S. Jemmott and G.T. Fong have noted that, with respect to sexual risk reduction programs for adolescents, the issue of whether abstinence or safer-sex should be the primary focus of such interventions. The article "A Meta-Analysis of Sexual Offender Recidivism Studies," by R.K. Hanson and M.T. Bussiere shows that the development of accurate risk assessment procedures is an important component of the goal to reduce recidivism among sex offenders.

The article focuses on parent's opinion and attitude about sexual health education in schools. Previous research has consistently shown that a strong majority of parents in both Canada and the U.S. want sexuality education to be taught in the schools. Survey research also suggests that parents want sexual health education programs to include a wide range of topics, and that schools should begin addressing most of these topics at the elementary level. However, perceptions of parental support for broadly based sexual health education in the schools can be influenced, particularly at the local level, by a number of factors. For example, in a particular community, those who oppose the provision of sexual health education in the schools or who argue that sexual health education should only embody a particular ideological vision of sexual health may be highly vocal and persistent in promoting their point of view, thereby giving the impression that they represent a large proportion of community opinion.