title: Sexual knowledge of Canadian adolescents after completion of high school sexual education requirements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Formal sexual education is a mandatory component of the high school curriculum in most Canadian provinces. The present study was a preliminary assessment of sexual knowledge among a sample of Ontario adolescents who had completed their high school sexual education requirements.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire, testing understanding of the learning objectives of Ontario's minimally required high school sexual education course, was distributed in a paediatric emergency department to 200 adolescent patients who had completed the course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents demonstrated good understanding of pregnancy physiology and sexually transmitted infections, but poor understanding of concepts related to reproductive physiology, contraception, HIV/AIDS and sexual assault. Most respondents could not identify Canada's age of sexual consent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respondents demonstrated concerning gaps in sexual knowledge despite completion of their sexual education requirements. Further studies must determine whether a representative, population-based student sample would exhibit similar findings. Sexual education currently offered in Ontario may require investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry; London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Maya M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry; London, Ontario ; Pediatric Emergency Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre; London, Ontario ; Children's Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario; London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Rodrick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre; London, Ontario ; Children's Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario; London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langford
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry; London, Ontario ; Children's Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario; London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Jamie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Seabrook
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry; London, Ontario ; Children's Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario; London, Ontario ; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Kathy N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Speechley
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry; London, Ontario ; Pediatric Emergency Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre; London, Ontario ; Children's Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario; London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lynch
keywords: Adolescent; Canada; Health; Sex education