Adolescence is a time of tremendous opportunity and change.
Becoming a sexually healthy adult is one of the most important developmental tasks of adolescence. Healthy sexuality is to be respected, and requires a sense of responsibility to be emotionally and physically prepared and protected.
Funding Opportunity from the Oregon Teen Pregnancy Task Force
"This is a grant for youth! Be a positive force in your community!"
Research Review: Sexual Health Disparities Among Disenfranchised Youth
This series of research briefs addresses sexual health disparities among seven subpopulations of youth,
Full version (pdf)
Individual Sections (pdf)
New Perspective on Youth Sexual Health
The Oregon Youth Sexual Health Plan, coordinated by the statewide Teen Pregnancy Prevention/Adolescent Sexual Health Partnership (TPP/SHP), a coalition of state, county and community advocates and non-profit organizations, is a holistic action plan to address all aspects of youth sexual health.
Built on a foundation of scientific evidence, incorporating findings of current health and youth development research, Oregon youth-lead research, and community forums with hundreds of participants, the Plan emphasizes our responsibility to provide youth with accurate information and skill-building opportunities so that they may chose behaviors that nurture healthy relationships, prevent unwanted pregnancies and decrease risk of sexually transmitted infections.
The plan provides a resource for communities to identify effective strategies, collaborate with local partners, and find the latest research and language that can be used to seek grants and other resources for new and existing programs.
Most importantly, the Plan looks at youth as a resource, not as a problem.
The
Teen Pregnancy Prevention program at the Oregon Department of Human Services offers important resources to support adolescents through this process. Nationally, and in Oregon, teen pregnancies are declining. In part this is due to increasing access to health services. The decrease is also attributed to both abstinence education programs and the increased use of contraceptives by sexually active teens. Condom use in particular is increasing for the prevention of HIV/STD.
Access to Health Care
Young women and men are especially vulnerable to reproductive health problems, including early or unplanned pregnancy and infection by sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. It is critical that they have access to health care and receive annual preventive health exams and guidance from health professionals.
GLBT Youth Health
Health professionals should also be aware of different sexual orientation and be prepared to work with gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and/or trans-gendered and questioning youth as well as heterosexual.
It is the goal of public health to support young people in positive ways, through this important phase of their lives. Information about young people's emerging sexuality can be located in the Adolescent Growth & Development section of this website. Specific sexual health recommendations have been identified to guide health care delivery.