The Role of School Nurses in Promoting Positive Sexual Health Education: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Media reports indicate that young people are discontented with current sexual education approaches, feeling that current practice disproportionately emphasizes negative aspects like sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's framework to examine how school nurses contribute to fostering positive sexuality through sexual education in schools. Out of 406 unique articles screened, 17 met the inclusion criteria. The majority were from the USA and England. The findings highlight the significant contributions of school nurses in sexual education programs. However, it also indicates a need for broader representation, particularly from Nordic countries. A more diverse perspective could enrich understanding and practices in promoting sexual health among youth. The findings also emphasize the preference of youth for external, qualified educators such as school nurses to deliver sexual education. The study calls for more research to enhance sexual health promotion among youth.