Straw Fiona, Porter Charlotte
Safeguarding Children's Team, Children's Clinic South, B Floor, South Block, QMC Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2012 Oct;97(5):177-84. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2011-301250.
Sexual health encompasses 'sexual development and reproductive health, as well as the ability to develop and maintain meaningful interpersonal relationships; appreciate one's own body; interact with both genders in respectful and appropriate ways; express affection, love and intimacy in ways consistent with one's own values'. The 2008 WHO Consensus Statement additionally noted that 'responsible adolescent intimate relationships' should be 'consensual, non-exploitative, honest, pleasurable and protected against unintended pregnancy and STDs if any type of intercourse occurs'. Young people (YP) must, therefore, be able to access sexual health information and services that meet their needs. For most YP, interest in sexual activity begins with puberty, and this is associated with increasingly sexualised behaviour, including exploration of themselves and others. Most YP find this a confusing time, and so it is important that health professionals are able to offer advice regarding the wide range of sexual health issues, including sexuality, choice of partner, contraception, risk and management of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in a confident and approachable manner. YP have never had so much choice or information available to them, and this can be confusing for them. There is good evidence that YP who get information from their parents are likely to initiate sexual activity later than their peers who access information from their friends. However, there is also evidence that some YP would prefer to get sexual health information from health professionals. It is therefore imperative that all health professionals who see YP have an awareness of sexual health issues, and know where to signpost YP should they need more specialist sexual health advice and/or treatment. Where appropriate, one-to-one sexual health advice should be provided to YP on how to prevent and get tested for STIs, and how to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Advice should also be given on all methods of reversible contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception, emergency contraception and other reproductive issues.
性健康包括“性发育与生殖健康，以及发展和维持有意义的人际关系的能力；欣赏自己的身体；以尊重和恰当的方式与两性互动；以符合自身价值观的方式表达情感、爱意和亲密感”。2008年世界卫生组织共识声明还指出，“负责任的青少年亲密关系”应是“双方自愿、非剥削性、诚实、愉悦的，并且如果发生任何形式的性行为，应预防意外怀孕和性传播感染”。因此，年轻人必须能够获取满足其需求的性健康信息和服务。对于大多数年轻人而言，对性活动的兴趣始于青春期，这与日益增多的性化行为相关，包括对自身及他人的探索。大多数年轻人觉得这是一个困惑的时期，所以健康专业人员能够以自信且平易近人的方式就广泛的性健康问题提供建议非常重要，这些问题包括性取向、伴侣选择、避孕、性传播感染的风险及管理等。年轻人从未有过如此多的选择或信息，这可能令他们感到困惑。有充分证据表明，从父母那里获取信息的年轻人开始性活动的时间可能比从朋友那里获取信息的同龄人要晚。然而，也有证据表明一些年轻人更愿意从健康专业人员那里获取性健康信息。因此，所有接待年轻人的健康专业人员必须了解性健康问题，并且知道在年轻人需要更专业的性健康建议和/或治疗时应将他们指引到何处。在适当情况下，应向年轻人提供一对一的性健康建议，内容包括如何预防性传播感染以及进行检测，如何预防意外怀孕。还应就所有可逆避孕方法提供建议，包括长效可逆避孕、紧急避孕及其他生殖问题。
