Influencing Factors on Sexual Knowledge among Elementary, Middle, and High School Students / 한국간호교육학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study investigated sexual knowledge, its related factors, and the needs of sex education among elementary, middle, and high school students in order to develop a sex education program. METHODS: The participants comprised 721 students in grades 5 through 12, from Seoul and the Kyeonggi-do area, in South Korea. Data was collected from the end of August through the end of September 2014, using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. SPSS Statistics 21.0 was used for the descriptive analysis, chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regressions. RESULTS: Higher-grade students had a higher level of sexual knowledge than lower-grade students, but the overall level of sexual knowledge was low. Multivariate analysis showed that gender, grade, school record, and experiences of sex education from family and school were significant predictors of sexual knowledge among adolescents. Coping skills related to sexual crisis situations was the most wanted content of sex education. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggested that it is important to develop a sex education program that considers the needs of sex education among adolescents. Also, it is important to periodically perform a survey to identify the need of sex education among elementary, middle, and high school students.