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Learning About Sex: Results From Natsal 2000

Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health Research, Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT UK; wendy.macdowall{at}lshtm.ac.uk

Kaye Wellings, MSc

Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Catherine H. Mercer, PhD

Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, University College London, UK

Kiran Nanchahal, MSc

Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

Andrew J. Copas, PhD

Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, University College London, UK

Sally McManus, BA

National Centre for Social Research, London, UK

Kevin A. Fenton, MFPHM

University College London and Department of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections, Health Protection Agency, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, London, UK

Bob Erens, MA

National Centre for Social Research, London, UK

Anne M. Johnson, MD

Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, University College London, UK

To date, the focus of sex education research has tended to be on the effect of education on behavioral outcomes. There is little data on the felt needs of young people, how well they are met, and how provision might be improved. Here we report on main source of information about sexual matters, adequacy of knowledge, further needs, and preferred source of additional information, using data from a probability sample survey of people aged 16 to 44 years in Britain (Natsal 2000). A total of 11,161 participants (4,762 men and 6,399 women) were interviewed. The response rate was 65.4%. The results show that despite the assumed worldliness and sophistication of young people about sexual matters, there is a great deal of self-perceived ignorance among them. Parents and schools are the preferred source of further information. We need to enable parents to provide information to their children, especially their sons.

Key Words: sex education • parental communication • information needs • cross sectional survey • United Kingdom

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