REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Abstract

Sexuality education is defined as a life-long process of acquiring information about individual's private life, sexual identity and relationships and a process of changing behavior. The most essential purpose of sexuality education is developing positive sexual behavior which include self-confidence, requires respectful approach to both oneself and anybody, free of sexual coercion and violence, having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, planning to be parents. The other purpose of sexuality education is decreasing negative outcomes which include unintended pregnancy, sexual coercion, sexually transmitted diseases, and sexual dysfunctions. It is aimed that to provide developing positive sexual attitudes during individual's growing period by gaining sexual knowledge and skills to protect their sexual health at present and in the future. In this way it is possible to prevent adolescent pregnancy, abortions and sexually transmitted diseases. Sexuality education must be viewed within the framework in biological, socio-cultural, psychological and religional dimensions. Many teaching methods are tried to achieve these sexuality education purposes. A few of them are peer education, computer-based program, focus on changing behavior teaching models and integrating sexuality education to formal education.