Options for Sexual Health

Some useful facts and figures about the sexual health of British Columbians and Canadians:

• Canadian youth listed their top sexual health issues as including:
  • lack of adequate information and access to contraceptives
  • desire for an open and nurturing environment to talk about sexuality
  • standing one's ground in relationships or with peer groups
  • confusion of gender roles in relation to youth sexuality-i.e., what is flirting, what is masculine or feminine, what is cool, what is respectful, what is sexy?⁽¹⁾
• A number of factors have been identified to reduce teen pregnancy, including effective sexual health education, free access to contraception, information, and practical skills for negotiating relationships and dealing with desire.⁽²⁾
• Although young people do turn to their parents and guardians as a primary source of sexual health education, a survey among grade nine students in Canada revealed that school was most frequently cited as the main source of sexual health information.⁽³⁾
• Over 85% of parents agree that sexual health education should be provided in schools, as do 92% of high school youth.⁽⁴⁾
• Additionally, 77% of British Columbians support youth having a lot or moderate amount of influence over the sex education curriculum taught in schools.⁽⁵⁾
• Each day in BC, at least three girls aged 15 to 17 years gets pregnant. Each week at least one child 10 to 14 gets pregnant in the province.⁽⁶⁾
• Access to accurate, non-judgmental information continues to be problematic in BC, as anti-choice misinformation is deliberately spread through billboards, television, and other forms of advertising.
• Canadian studies show that consistent condom use (an important part of safer sex practice) declines with age.⁽⁷⁾
• A quick look at BC's chlamydia statistics in 2004 reveal a continued upward trend in case reports. The number of reported cases in 2004 have doubled since 1997. Females continue to form the majority of reported cases, and the majority of chlamydia reports continue to occur in the 15 to 24 year old age group. ⁽⁸⁾
• 40-70% of chlamydia cases present no symptoms. People may carry the infection for many years without knowing. ⁽⁹⁾
• Untreated STIs account for 20% of all cases of infertility. ⁽¹⁰⁾
• For every dollar spent on the early detection and treatment of STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea, $12 could be saved in associated treatment and related costs.⁽¹¹⁾