Adolescence is a unique time where there are many developmental changes occurring. Teenagers are striving to establish their personal identity as they are also developing a better understanding of their gender and sexual identity while navigating social expectations both in person and online. Therefore, clinicians must continue to support adolescent patients and their families by providing accurate and timely information so that they can have the tools they need to avoid the pitfalls of an uninformed adolescent experience.

Condoms remain an important method for preventing HIV prevention and unintentional pregnancies, however their use in South Africa is sub-optimal. We analyzed survey data on reported condom use among 3009 sexually active adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-24 years, and qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions with 237 AGYW and 38 male peers. Our findings describe the current condom use landscape among adolescents and young people in South Africa, illustrating relationship dynamics, gendered power and notions of masculinity which influence condom negotiation and use in young heterosexual South Africans\' sexual encounters.

This commentary summarizes the context and positioning of sexual health, sexual rights and sexual pleasure, as three interlinked and indivisible aspects of sexual health and wellbeing (SH&W). In turn, sexual health is a major domain within broader sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), both in its own right as a human right, and owing to the importance of good sexual health for ensuring good reproductive outcomes. Furthermore, SRHR is a necessary, core part of overall health, thus sexual health and wellbeing is a fundamental aspect of general health that is often overlooked or even denied for some. In this commentary, we utilize a life course approach to illustrate how the tripartite of sexual health, rights and pleasure manifest themselves with different interlocking linkages, and actively contribute to overall health throughout life. As other papers in this series attest, the linkages of pleasure with the right to and attainment of health has received inadequate attention to date, both within the scientific literature and in policy narratives.

This paper explores the modern challenges hindering access to sexual health resources in the age of Big Tech and their impact on public health. Research data from sexual health organizations, Internet experts, and corporate financial documents shows instances of conflict between Big Tech\'s business model and the sexual health organizations\' efforts to provide accurate information about sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy prevention to the youth. Results show that as younger generations turn to the internet for sexual health resources, they are met with misinformation and roadblocks, enabled by the dominant corporations in the market. Sexual pleasure, for instance, remains an overlooked dimension of these resources despite the fact that it is important to people. In conclusion, given the rise in popularity of tech platforms, and the youth\'s reliance on them as basic information resources, Big Tech must be held accountable for its role and impact on public health, and collaborative closely and actively with sexual health experts to establish appropriate content moderation policies for sexual health content online.

In this grounded theory study the aim was to explore professionals\' experiences of promotion of adolescents\' sexual health, and views on inter-professional collaboration in relation to this subject. Data collection was by five focus group interviews and two pair interviews with professionals working with sexual health promotion in health care and schools. The results showed that professionals were reaching out to young people through competence and trusting relationships along with working on a broader front. In conclusion, professionals need to be knowledgeable about the world of young people, accessible and able to offer adequate support, and improve their inter-professional collaborations.

Among adolescents, engagement in risky sexual behavior is an important public health concern. Research has begun to explore the impact of adolescents\' online experiences with their social and behavioral health as approximately 95% of adolescents have access to a smartphone connected to the internet. However, little research has specifically examined how online experiences impact sexual risk behaviors among adolescence. To fill gaps in the existing research, the current study sought to investigate the association between two potential risk factors and three sexual risk behavior outcomes. We examined how experiencing cybersexual violence victimization (CVV) and using pornography during early adolescence was associated with condom use, birth control use, and use of alcohol and drugs before sex among U.S. high school students (n = 974). Additionally, we explored multiple forms of adult support as potential protective factors of sexual risk behaviors. Our findings suggest that CVV and porn use may be associated with risky sexual behaviors for some adolescents. In addition, parental monitoring and support from adults at school may be two ways to support healthy adolescent sexual development.

Sexual ramifications of physical disease are well-documented in adult populations, but are scarcely investigated among adolescents and young adults (AYA). This study compared measures of sexuality and sexual health among 8,696 15-year-old to 24-year-old Danes with and without a history of treatment for long-lasting or severe physical disease.
Using baseline data from Project SEXUS, a nationally representative cohort study on sexual health in the Danish population, differences in various domains of sexual behaviors and sexual health between AYA who have and AYA who have not been treated for long-lasting or severe physical disease were investigated. Logistic regression analyses yielded demographically weighted age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for associations between physical diseases and sexual outcomes.
AYA treated for long-lasting or severe physical disease resembled their healthy peers on fundamental aspects of sexual interest, activity and satisfaction. However, significantly increased odds ratios of various sexual difficulties and dysfunctions, early sexual debut, high sex partner numbers, discontentment with body or genital appearance, gender nonconformity, nonheterosexuality, and exposure to sexual assaults were observed, overall or within specific disease categories.
The overall similarity in sexual profiles between AYA treated for physical disease and healthy peers indicates that clinicians should routinely address questions related to sexuality and relationships when encountering AYA with chronic health conditions. Moreover, the observed excess of certain adversities, including sexual assaults, among physically ill AYA highlights the need for preventive measures and counseling services specifically targeted at AYA afflicted by physical disease.

BACKGROUND:  Despite its reported positive deliverables, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in South African schools is unable to document an influence in reducing alarming statistics regarding adolescent sexual health. Prior research points to a gap that exists between what studies suggest and what is implemented in practice.
OBJECTIVE:  Drawing on Freire\'s theory of praxis, the aim of this study was to involve the voice of adolescents in reforming CSE - specifically, how the programme could be developed with the objective to co-construct a praxis in order to support sexuality educators in a delivery of CSE that is more responsive to the needs of adolescents.
METHODS:  Ten participants were purposively selected from all five school quintiles in the Western Cape province of South Africa to take part in this study.
METHODS:  A qualitative descriptive design with aspects of a phenomenological approach was utilised. Rich data were collected by means of semistructured interviews and were analysed thematically with ATLAS.ti.
RESULTS:  The results illustrate the suggestions made by the participants towards the improvement of the CSE programme. They reported on approaches and strategies used to teach CSE that imply that it is often not delivered comprehensively - confirming the disjuncture between what the curriculum envisages and what is executed in practice.
CONCLUSIONS:  The contribution might lead to change in disconcerting statistics and consequently an improvement in the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents.Contribution: The participants from this study assisted in co-constructing a praxis for CSE teachers to inform their practice.

UNASSIGNED: Most sexual health interventions focus on individual-level predictors of sexual behavior. Given the considerable influence of environmental factors on adolescent girls\' sexual health, current interventions may be insufficient to promote safer sex. In this study, we aimed to understand adolescent girls\' anticipated barriers to engaging in safer sex behavior after completing a brief, web-based sexual health intervention called HEART.
UNASSIGNED: This study used qualitative interviews with 50 adolescent girls who were recruited from community-based organizations that serve vulnerable youth. All participants were 12 to 19 years old (mean age=15.62, SD=1.83), and identified with a marginalized racial/ethnic group (58% Black; 18% Latinx; 24% Asian, biracial, or multiracial). Further, 24% identified as LGBTQ+, and 58% were sexually active.
UNASSIGNED: Guided by the social ecological model, we delineate six unique barriers to safer sex discussed by adolescents: partner manipulation, slut shaming, unclear sexual values, present time orientation, embarrassment, and access to sexual and reproductive health services.
UNASSIGNED: We conclude with recommendations for addressing these barriers to optimize adolescent girls\' sexual health.

Rates of HIV infection in the United States are markedly over-represented among gay/bisexual young men (GBYM), especially those who are African American and Latino. The degree to which minority stress may explain racial disparities in HIV incidence is understudied in GBYM. This qualitative study examined racial/ethnic-minority and sexual-minority stress and their perceived influence on HIV infection in a sample of GBYM living with HIV. Findings indicated that racial/ethnic-minority stress more often emerged during sexual interactions, while sexual-minority stress was often family-based. Our discussion offers recommendations for primary HIV prevention efforts for GBYM.