TDNet Discover

In the United States, adolescents have the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), compared to other age groups. Additionally, the United States has a high teenage pregnancy rate when compared to other developed countries. Clinicians are in the unique position to provide health education, including sexual education, to their patients;however, only one-third of adolescents receive comprehensive sexual education from clinicians. The purpose of this research was to identify barriers that prevent clinicians from providing sexual education to their adolescent patients. This research was a qualitative and full systematic review of current literature. Several scholarly databases were utilized in the literature search, including PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Search terms included “sexual education,” “sex education,” “sex,” “clinicians,” “healthcare providers,” “nurses,” “adolescents,” “youth,” and “barriers.” Thirteen peer-reviewed articles were selected for review and analyzed for content. Results of the analysis revealed several barriers to clinicianprovided sexual education in the healthcare setting, including lack of time, lack of adequate training, lack of resources, and personal discomfort. Conclusions from the research solidified the knowledge that sexual education is not being presented to the adolescent population regularly. The authors recommend healthcare institutions incorporate sex education into their curricula. Furthermore, Continued Medical Education (CME) platforms could be developed to improve skills in teaching and initiating the conversation about sex. Of utmost importance is assuring the patient’s comfort and confidentiality. Through comprehensive sexual education, clinicians can make an impact on the health and futures of their adolescent patients.