Global lessons on healthy adolescent sexual development

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Examining global trends of adolescent sexual behavior is essential to inform clinical practice as well as for developing interventions and educational strategies to ensure healthy sexual development in young people. RECENT FINDINGS: Most young people begin sexual activity in their teenage years. Extensive research has been conducted to elucidate risk and protective factors for sexual activity in adolescence and to evaluate the success of different sex education programs in influencing these factors. Some risk and protective factors were similar globally whereas others differed by sex and community. Research findings suggest that comprehensive sex education which includes skills-based interventions is effective in changing youth behavior. In addition research points towards the importance of addressing larger structural and contextual issues such as gender equality poverty and education in improving the sexual health of adolescents. SUMMARY: Adolescents begin their sexual lives in their teen years; therefore clinicians need to focus on positive ways to help teenagers develop healthy relationships while providing guidance around reducing risky sexual behaviors.