Introducing comprehensive sexuality education in Italian schools: from the co-construction to the evaluation of a pilot intervention.
Comprehensive sexuality education
Evaluation
Italy
School-based education
Sexual health
Journal
BMC public health
ISSN: 1471-2458
Titre abrégé: BMC Public Health
Pays: England
ID NLM: 100968562
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
02 Aug 2024
02 Aug 2024
Historique:
received:
28
08
2023
accepted:
26
07
2024
medline:
3
8
2024
pubmed:
3
8
2024
entrez:
2
8
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a powerful tool that provides young people with information on all aspects of sexuality and is aimed at protecting their sexual and reproductive health and well-being throughout their lives. Currently, CSE is not integrated within the schools' curriculum in Italy. This study describes the co-construction, implementation, and evaluation of a CSE project piloted among students attending lower secondary schools, in four regions of Italy. Evidence-based evaluation will be helpful in promote the inclusion of CSE programs in the Italian schools' curriculum. The pilot scheme was co-constructed by a multidisciplinary curriculum development group through a Delphi process, including educators who conducted the activities. The evaluation followed three directions: the program (based on a literature review of CSE principles and recommended characteristics), implementation (assessing the execution of the program through the analysis of the reflection tools used by the educators), and short-term outcomes (assessing critical thinking and conscious behavioural choices through pre-post and satisfaction surveys). The main goal, learning modules and content were defined and structured in five interventions with the students, and two with families and teachers. A total of 638 students were involved in the activity, across 11 schools. Data analysis of pre/post surveys reported a significant increase in knowledge in 12 of the 15 items investigated (p < 0.05), and a high level of satisfaction with the topics addressed. Qualitative analysis added information on the pivotal role of educators in CSE. The national piloting of this educational activity provided positive insights regarding the co-construction, implementation and short-outcome evaluation, suggesting potential for scalability and future inclusion of CSE in the curricula of Italian schools.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39095763
doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19610-7
pii: 10.1186/s12889-024-19610-7
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
2089Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
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