Young people's sexual health: A framework for policy debate

This paper seeks to stimulate debate about policy directions for sexual health promotion for youth. We first examine the reasons why some young people might be more at risk than others for sexual health problems, highlighting a number of the structural and environmental factors that can contribute to young people's sexuality-related risks and vulnerabilities. We then propose ways that policy-makers might help to reduce these risks not just by improving access to high quality information and services but also by creating health-enabling environments that facilitate young people's efforts to protect and enhance their sexual health. In this context, we pay particular attention to the impact of home, community, and macrosocial factors (e.g., poverty, discrimination, social exclusion) on the sexual behaviour of youth.