Search results

This study presents findings from a systematic review of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of youth centers in increasing use of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in lower‐ and middle‐income countries. Evidence from peer‐reviewed and gray literature between 1990 and 2010 was reviewed. After the screening of 3,769 citations, 21 studies reporting on 17 youth center programs were included, and were ranked by strength of evidence. Considerable consistency in findings across studies was observed. Youth centers generally served a relatively small proportion of young people living nearby. The main users were young men attending school or college, with a significant proportion older than the target age. Users of the on‐site SRH services were predominantly young women, with a significant proportion older than the target age group. Uptake of services was generally low. Despite widespread emphasis on youth centers as a strategy for encouraging young people to access SRH services, results from these studies have not been encouraging, and cost‐effectiveness for these purposes is likely to be low.

Introduction: Hard-to-reach and minority groups are often at higher risk for adverse sexual health outcomes. While such groups are therefore of
interest to sexual health researchers, it can be difficult to locate and recruit sufficient sample sizes using probability sampling methods. This study
aims to establish whether web-panel surveys can provide a viable less resource intensive means of boosting sample sizes of two hard-to-reach
groups (people of Black African ethnicity, and gay men) for a sexual health survey, and the extent of any bias.
Methods: Results from a national probability sample survey (Natsal-3, administered using a computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI) and selfinterview
(CASI) with 15,162 participants), which included 211 black African participants and 83 gay men, were compared with results from a webpanel
survey (using identical questions) of 529 black Africans and 592 gay men. Web-panel survey results for socio-demographics were
compared with external benchmarks, and for sexual behaviours and attitudes reported in Natsal-3. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to examine
differences between variables and the average absolute OR, along with the number of estimates for which the web-panel survey differed
significantly from the benchmarks, were used to summarise survey performance.
Results: At least 18% of estimates differed significantly between surveys for gay and black African men, and 28% for black African women. For
black African women average absolute ORs were: 1.6 for attitudinal questions asked in CAPI, 1.5 for attitudinal CASI questions, 3.2 for behaviour
questions asked in CAPI and for 1.7 for behaviour CASI. For black African men average absolute ORs were: 1.5 for attitudinal questions asked in
CAPI, 1.8 for attitudinal CASI questions, 2.5 for behavioural questions asked in CAPI and 1.6 for behavioural questions asked in CASI=1.6. For
gay men, average absolute ORs were: 2.2 for attitudinal questions asked in CAPI, 2.8 for attitudinal CASI questions, 1.8 for behavioural questions
asked in CAPI to 1.6 for behavioural questions asked in CASI.
Discussion: Web-panel surveys may be able to sample hard-to-reach groups but may not be able to replace probability-sample surveys where
accurate population-level estimates of sensitive sexual behaviours are required. Differences between web and CASI responses, where mode
effects may be similar, suggest web-panel survey selection bias.

BACKGROUND: Sexual orientation encompasses three dimensions: sexual identity, attraction and behaviour. There is increasing demand for data on sexual orientation to meet equality legislation, monitor potential inequalities and address public health needs. We present estimates of all three dimensions and their overlap in British men and women, and consider the implications for health services, research and the development and evaluation of public health interventions. METHODS: Analyses of data from Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, a probability sample survey (15,162 people aged 16-74 years) undertaken in 2010-2012. FINDINGS: A lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) identity was reported by 2·5% of men and 2·4% of women, whilst 6·5% of men and 11·5% of women reported any same-sex attraction and 5·5% of men and 6·1% of women reported ever experience of same-sex sex. This equates to approximately 547,000 men and 546,000 women aged 16-74 in Britain self-identifying as LGB and 1,204,000 men and 1,389,000 women ever having experience of same-sex sex. Of those reporting same-sex sex in the past 5 years, 28% of men and 45% of women identified as heterosexual. INTERPRETATION: There is large variation in the size of sexual minority populations depending on the dimension applied, with implications for the design of epidemiological studies, targeting and monitoring of public health interventions and estimating population-based denominators. There is also substantial diversity on an individual level between identity, behaviour and attraction, adding to the complexity of delivering appropriate services and interventions.

Background: Sexual orientation encompasses three dimensions: sexual identity, attraction and behaviour. There is increasing demand for data on sexual orientation to meet equality legislation, monitor potential inequalities and address public health needs. We present estimates of all three dimensions and their overlap in British men and women, and consider the implications for health services, research and the development and evaluation of public health interventions. Methods: Analyses of data from Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, a probability sample survey (15,162 people aged 16–74 years) undertaken in 2010–2012. Findings: A lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) identity was reported by 2·5% of men and 2·4% of women, whilst 6·5% of men and 11·5% of women reported any same-sex attraction and 5·5% of men and 6·1% of women reported ever experience of same-sex sex. This equates to approximately 547,000 men and 546,000 women aged 16–74 in Britain self-identifying as LGB and 1,204,000 men and 1,389,000 women ever having experience of same-sex sex. Of those reporting same-sex sex in the past 5 years, 28% of men and 45% of women identified as heterosexual. Interpretation: There is large variation in the size of sexual minority populations depending on the dimension applied, with implications for the design of epidemiological studies, targeting and monitoring of public health interventions and estimating population-based denominators. There is also substantial diversity on an individual level between identity, behaviour and attraction, adding to the complexity of delivering appropriate services and interventions.