Exploring Sexual Health in Polish Adolescents – A School-Based Survey and Comparative Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2025.83.61773Keywords
sex education, sexuality, teenagers, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual healthAbstract
Introduction
Sexuality is a complex area of study. That and the fact that the role of sex education in public health may have a potentially big impact, especially given safe sexual behaviour and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), highlights the need for a better understanding of sexuality. This pilot study was aimed to explore the attitudes of Polish adolescents toward sexuality and sex education provided by family and school.
Methodology
The study employed a survey method and a questionnaire-based research technique, using an original anonymous questionnaire. The questions focused on sexual knowledge conveyed within the family environment of adolescents and in the schools they attended. Additionally, the questionnaire addressed individual experiences related to sexuality among adolescents.
Results
The study included 219 participants (100%). The largest group consisted of girls (173; 79%), while boys accounted for 46 participants (21%). However, only about one-third of them were satisfied with these conversations, and fewer than 8% expressed satisfaction with the sex education classes conducted at school. The Internet was mentioned most frequently as the source of knowledge about sexuality. More than two-thirds of the respondents admitted to having masturbated, but over 75% had not yet engaged in their first sexual activity with another person.
Conclusion
Sex education remains a sensitive topic for both parents and children. Among the subjects related to sexuality that participants found most interesting were: safe sexual behaviors, sexual maturation, the sexual needs of women and men, sexually transmitted diseases, and having children (pregnancy, childbirth). Sex education, especially when delivered through methods appealing to adolescents, continues to be a challenge for both the education system and the field of medicine, including public health.
References
[1] Kar S.K., Choudhury A., Singh A.P., Understanding normal development of adolescent sexuality: A bumpy ride, J Hum Reprod Sci, 2015, 8(2), 70–74, doi:10.4103/0974-1208.158594.
[2] DeLamater J., Friedrich W.N., Human sexual development, The Journal of Sex Research, 2002, 39(1), 10–14, doi:10.1080/00224490209552113.
[3] Swaab D.F., Sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior, Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2007, 21(3), 431–444, doi:10.1016/j.beem.2007.04.003.
[4] Clark D.A., Durbin C.E., Heitzeg M.M., Iacono W.G., McGue M., Hicks B.M., Sexual development in adolescence: An examination of genetic and environmental influences, J Res Adolesc, 2020, 30(2), 502–520, doi:10.1111/jora.12540.
[5] Barnett B., Education protects health, delays sex, Netw Res Triangle Park N C, 1997, 17(3), 14–15, 18–20.
[6] Jackson C.A., Henderson M., Frank J.W., Haw S.J., An overview of prevention of multiple risk behaviour in adolescence and young adulthood, J Public Health (Oxf), 2012, 34 Suppl 1, i31–40, doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdr113.
[7] Sánchez S.I., Jones H.R., Bogen K.W., Lorenz T.K., Barriers experienced by emerging adults in discussing their sexuality with parents and healthcare providers: A mixed method study, Am J Orthopsychiatry, 2023, 93(4), 335–349, doi: 10.1037/ort0000677.
[8] Alexander S.C., Fortenberry J.D., Pollak K.I., Bravender T., Davis J.K., Østbye T., Tulsky J.A., Dolor R.J., Shields C.G., Sexuality talk during adolescent health maintenance visits, JAMA Pediatr, 2014, 168(2), 163–169, doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.4338.
[9] Coakley T.M., Randolph S., Shears J., Beamon E.R., Collins P., Sides T., Parent-youth communication to reduce at-risk sexual behavior: A systematic literature review, J Hum Behav Soc Environ, 2017, 27(6), 609–624, doi: 10.1080/10911359.2017.1313149.
[10] Garzón-Orjuela N., Samacá-Samacá D., Moreno-Chaparro J., Ballesteros-Cabrera M.D.P., Eslava-Schmalbach J., Effectiveness of sex education interventions in adolescents: An overview, Compr Child Adolesc Nurs, 2021, 44, doi: 10.1080/24694193.2020.1713251.
[11] Breuner C.C., Adelman W.P., Alderman E.M., Garofalo R., Marcell A.V., Powers M.E., Upadhya K.K., Yogman M.W., Bauer N.S., Gambon T.B., Lavin A., Lemmon K.M., Mattson G., Rafferty J.R., Wissow L.S., Sexuality Education for Children and Adolescents, Pediatrics, 2016, 138(2), doi: 10.1542/peds.2016-1348.
[12] Hall K.S., Sales J.M., Komro K.A., Santelli J., The State of Sex Education in the United States, J Adolesc Health, 2016, 58(6), 595–597, doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.03.032.
[13] Kremska A., Sexual partners as assessed by women in early and middle adulthood, Journal of Sexual and Mental Health, 2022, 20, DOI: 10.5603/SP.2022.0005.
[14] Montemurro B., Bartasavich J., Wintermute L., Let’s (Not) Talk about Sex: The Gender of Sexual Discourse, Sexuality and Culture, 2015 Mar, 19(1), 139-156.
[15] Merwin K.E., Bergeron S., Jodouin J.F., Mackinnon S.P., Rosen N.O., Few Differences in Sexual Talk by Gender/Sex and Dyad Type: A Retrospective and Daily Diary Study with Couples, Arch Sex Behav, 2022 Nov, 51(8), 3715-3733. doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02363-y.
[16] Pariera K.L., Abraham B., “We talked about our hookups”: A diary study of sexual communication among U.S. college women, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 2020, 37(8-9). https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407520933002.
[17] Schoppe-Sullivan S.J., Kotila L., Jia R., Lang S.N., Bower D.J., Comparisons of levels and predictors of mothers’ and fathers’ engagement with their preschool aged children, Early Child Dev Care, 2012, 183(3-4):498–514. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2012.711596.
[18] Grossman J.M., Richer A., Charmaraman L., Ceder I., Erkut S., Youth Perspectives on Sexuality Communication With Parents and Extended Family, Fam Relat, 2018, 67(3):368–380. doi: 10.1111/fare.12313.
[19] Fisher C.M., Telljohann S.K., Price J.H., Dake J.A., Glassman T., Perceptions of Elementary School Children's Parents Regarding Sexuality Education, Am J Sex Educ, 2015, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2015.1009595.
[20] Asgharinekah M., Sharifi F., Amel Barez M., The Need of Family-Based Sexual Education: A Systematic Review, J Health Literacy, Fall 2019, 4(3):25-37, doi: 10.22038/jhl.2019.14346.
[21] Widman L., Evans R., Javidi H., Choukas-Bradley S., Assessment of Parent-Based Interventions for Adolescent Sexual Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, JAMA Pediatr, 2019 Jul 29, 173(9):866–877, doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.2324.
[22] Widman L., Choukas-Bradley S., Noar S.M., Nesi J., Garrett K., Parent-Adolescent Sexual Communication and Adolescent Safer Sex Behavior: A Meta-Analysis, JAMA Pediatr, 2016 Jan, 170(1):52–61, doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.2731.
[23] UNESCO, Comprehensive sexuality education: For healthy, informed and empowered learners, last update: 19 November 2024, Health and education, UNESCO, https://www.unesco.org/en/health-education/cse#:~:text=Sexuality%20education%20has%20positive%20effects%2C%20including%20increasing,and%20decreasing%20the%20frequency%20of%20unprotected%20sex. Accessed 29 May 2025.
[24] American Academy of Pediatrics, The Importance of Access to Comprehensive Sex Education, last updated 02/15/2024, https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/adolescent-sexual-health/equitable-access-to-sexual-and-reproductive-health-care-for-all-youth/the-importance-of-access-to-comprehensive-sex-education/. Accessed 29 May 2025.
[25] World Health Organisation, Comprehensive Sexuality Education, 18 May 2023, https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/comprehensive-sexuality-education. Accessed 29 May 2025.
[26] Vivancos R., Abubakar I., Phillips-Howard P., Hunter P.R., School-based sex education is associated with reduced risky sexual behaviour and sexually transmitted infections in young adults, Public Health, 2013 Jan;127(1):53-7. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2012.09.016.
[27] Kim E.J., Park B., Kim S.K., Park M.J., Lee J.Y., Jo A.R., Kim M.J., Shin H.N., A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Comprehensive Sexuality Education Programs on Children and Adolescents, Healthcare (Basel), 2023 Sep 11;11(18):2511. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11182511.
[28] DeSmet A., Shegog R., Van Ryckeghem D., Crombez G., De Bourdeaudhuij I., A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Interventions for Sexual Health Promotion Involving Serious Digital Games. Games for Health Journal. Vol. 4, No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2014.0110.
[29] Collier K.M., Coyne S.M., Rasmussen E.E., Hawkins A.J., Padilla-Walker L.M., Erickson S.E., Memmott-Elison MK. Does parental mediation of media influence child outcomes? A meta-analysis on media time, aggression, substance use, and sexual behavior. Developmental Psychology. 2016;52(5):798–812. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000108.
[30] L’Engle K.L., Mangone E.R., Parcesepe A.M., Agarwal S., Ippoliti N.B., Mobile phone interventions for adolescent sexual and reproductive health: A systematic review. Pediatrics. 2016;138(3). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-0511.
[31] Widman L., Nesi J., Kamke K., Choukas-Bradley S., Stewart J.L., Technology-based interventions to reduce sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy among youth. J Adolesc Health. 2018 Jun;62(6):651–660. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.02.007.
[32] Robbins C.L., Schick V., Reece M., Herbenick D., Sanders S.A., Dodge B., Fortenberry J.D., Prevalence, Frequency, and Associations of Masturbation With Partnered Sexual Behaviors Among US Adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 2011;165(12):1087–1093. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.142
[33] ACT for Youth. (2024, October 17). Youth statistics: Sexual health. https://actforyouth.org/adolescence/demographics/sexual-health.cfm#8. Accessed 29 May, 2025.
[34] CDC/National Center for Health Statistics. (2018, June 22). Over half of U.S. teens have had sexual intercourse by age 18, new report shows. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2017/201706_NSFG.htm. Accessed 29 May, 2025.
[35] Lindberg L.D., Firestein L., Beavin C. (2021). Trends in U.S. adolescent sexual behavior and contraceptive use, 2006-2019. Contraception: X, 3, 100064 doi.org/10.1016/j.conx.2021.100064
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jędrzej Sztajura, Anna Szot, Monika Bujak, Katarzyna Chowaniec-Rybka
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The periodical offers access to content in the Open Access system under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 156
Number of citations: 0
