A disruption of any educational program can put students at a disadvantage. Curriculum delays, long-term illnesses, and administrative burdens can all cause students to fail.
No other event in recent history has disrupted education more than the COVID-19 pandemic, with lockdowns and online classes reducing the quality of education and providing students with fewer opportunities to learn. Research in Great Britain, it has been found that students who were at school or in another form of education lost 35% of the learning gains of a normal school year between 2020 and 2022.
One dimension that remains to be studied in depth is the effect COVID had on sex education.
But a fascinating new study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics examines how college students’ knowledge and beliefs about sexual health have changed.
Keep reading to learn more.
The more you know about your sexual health, the better you can protect yourself.
What does the study say?
The study, titled Brown Med Sex Edition: The Impact of COVID-19 on High School Students’ Sexual Health Educationwas led by medical students at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University.
Researchers compared two cohorts of high school students. Both cohorts participated in an eight-lesson sex education program. One cohort was taught between 2018 and 2019, the other cohort between 2023 and 2024. The program was taught by medical student volunteers. It covered topics such as communication, consent, decision-making, safe sex, healthy relationships, puberty, reproductive health, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Both cohorts completed questionnaires to gauge their knowledge and beliefs. The results of this questionnaire showed important differences between the two cohorts. The pre-pandemic cohort showed improved views about their sexual health. In contrast, the post-pandemic cohort showed no measurable change in beliefs after the program.
Why is this important?
These findings are important because they show support for broader concerns around the long-term impact of COVID on student engagement, and how learning is integrated into students’ intellectual and emotional landscapes – whether or not they ‘absorb’ it.
From the results of the study we can conclude that students are less involved and open about sexual health education. The study authors emphasized that while knowledge gains remain intact, the reduced impact on beliefs underlines the difficulty of promoting behavioral changes in schools.
These results could also have implications for students as they get older. Negative or incorrect beliefs about sexual health can have serious consequences for adolescents. Effective sexual health education has been proven to reduce the risks of adolescent pregnancy and the transmission of STDs, while also equipping students with the skills to make safe and informed choices about relationships and sexual activity. However, without shifts in beliefs, students may find it difficult to apply what they have learned.
The study also underlines the broader impact of the pandemic on attitudes towards school-related issues. According to the authors, disruptions in routine learning and limited access to support resources may have led to reduced openness and engagement among high school students. This aligns with existing research documenting post-pandemic changes in engagement across topics.
The researchers emphasized that these findings highlight the urgent need to update sexual health curricula. “Sexual health curriculum needs to evolve so it can meet students where they are and give them the tools they need,” Haddock said. This highlights the importance of not only adapting content, but also improving the way education is delivered to better meet the social and emotional needs of students.
Final thoughts
While all students should receive sex education, adults can continually learn more throughout their lives. The more you know about your sexual health, the more power you have to take action where necessary.
If you are concerned about your sexual health, or think you may have an STD, Better2Know can help. Click on the button below to book an STD test at a sexual clinic near you.
Don’t leave your sexual health to chance.
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