title: "What if you already know everything about sex?" Content analysis of questions from early adolescents in a middle school sex education program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess sixth graders' knowledge and curiosity about sex-related topics that can guide the development of sexual health education and healthcare delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixth graders (n = 795) in eight ethnically diverse schools participating in an evaluation of a sex education curriculum submitted 859 anonymous questions that were content analyzed. The χ(2) analysis examined whether the themes varied by coed/single-sex environments or by school-level sexual risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sexual activity, female anatomy, reproduction, and puberty were the most frequently mentioned topics, whereas, questions on STIs, sexual violence, and drug/alcohol use were fewer. Questions that avoided sexual topics came from lower sexual-risk schools; students at higher-risk schools asked about sexual initiation, contraception, vaginal and anal sex, general health, and pain during sex. Single-sex classrooms elicited more direct and explicit questions about sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are relevant to educators and healthcare providers who ask and answer questions from early adolescents regarding sexual health.
authors.affiliation: Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481-8203, USA. lcharmar@wellesley.edu
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Charmaraman
authors.forename: Alice J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sumru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erkut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012574:Schools; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019529:Sexuality; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires