Sexuality and Sexual Health of Canadian Adolescents: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Commentary) (Report‪)‬

Abstract: A profile of the sexual health and behaviours of contemporary Canadian adolescents is developed based on current research and compared to adolescents in the latter half of the 20th century. While notable changes occurred in the sexual lives of youth between the late 1950s and the early 1990s, the patterns of behaviour established in the latter part of the 20th century, have continued into recent years. There is strong evidence that today's youth are experiencing better sexual health and taking more measures to protect their sexual health than prior generations of youth did. However, problems remain. Canadian teens and young adults continue to be challenged by STIs; many GLBTQ youth continue to face homonegativity and discrimination in their schools and communities; youth living in poverty, in rural areas and aboriginal youth carry the greatest burdens of poor sexual health and are the most poorly served by sexuality education and sexual health care. Recommendations are made to strengthen both sexuality education and sexual health services to meet the needs of all Canadian youth. Introduction