"What if You Already Know Everything About Sex?" Content Analysis of Questions From Early Adolescents in a Middle School Sex Education Program

Purpose: To assess sixth graders' knowledge and curiosity about sex-related topics that can guide the development of sexual health education and healthcare delivery. Methods: Sixth graders (n = 795) in eight ethnically diverse schools participating in an evaluation of a sex education curriculum submitted 859 anonymous questions that were content analyzed. The chi(2) analysis examined whether the themes varied by coed/single-sex environments or by school-level sexual risk. Results: Sexual activity, female anatomy, reproduction, and puberty were the most frequently mentioned topics, whereas, questions on STIs, sexual violence, and drug/alcohol use were fewer. Questions that avoided sexual topics came from lower sexual-risk schools; students at higher-risk schools asked about sexual initiation, contraception, vaginal and anal sex, general health, and pain during sex. Single-sex classrooms elicited more direct and explicit questions about sex. Conclusions: The results are relevant to educators and healthcare providers who ask and answer questions from early adolescents regarding sexual health. (C) 2012 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.