(P129) CAMPUS CONFIDENTIAL: DECODING SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

4:15 PM - 5:15 PM EST

Primary Author(s)

Emily Ye, BS (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Taylor C. Ellis, BS (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States

Co-Author(s)(s)

CM

Candice J. McNeil, MD, MPH

Associate Professor
Wake Forest University School of Medicine, North Carolina, United States

Background:
Safe sexual practices are crucial in reducing the risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Previous studies have reported that individuals aged 16 to 24 are more at risk of developing STIs, as they are more likely to engage in unprotected sex and have multiple sexual partners. The purpose of this project is to evaluate how sexual health education was taught among college students to guide educational and outreach initiatives to prevent STIs.

Methods:
This pilot quality improvement project utilized an anonymous survey to investigate the methods and approaches used in sexual education among college students served by an STI outreach unit of Forsyth County Department of public health in collaboration with the WFUSOM Sexual Health Awareness Group (SHAG). A total of 30 undergraduate and graduate students from local colleges in Winston-Salem, NC were included in this project.

Results:
Among the 30 college student participants, 14 reported a comprehensive sexual education curriculum taught by their schools, with 25 being from public institutions. Among the topics discussed in sexual education in school, 90% of the participants reported discussing STIs and Development and Reproductive Anatomy, 83.3% discussed use of condoms while only 33.3% discussed use of dental dams.

Conclusion:
Based on the project findings, it can be inferred that many college-aged individuals still require a more comprehensive sexual education. While the majority of participants reported knowledge on STIs, a small portion of participants had knowledge of dental dams while a larger portion reported knowledge of proper condom use, suggesting that a focus on additional methods of contraception in sexual education may be useful in reducing the incidence of STIs in this population. Educators need to enhance sexual education to address the diverse needs of college students and spread awareness of cost-effective birth control resources in the community to decrease the risks associated with STIs.