LST Supplemental Sexual and Reproductive Health Unit

Unmet Need
Every year, an estimated 20 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases are diagnosed in the United States alone, with half of these cases affecting people aged 15-24. Although sexual health education programs already exist, most youth programs are focused on helping students be more mindful of the physiological or social factors that promote or initiate illicit substance use. With the growing importance of sexual health wellbeing, there is a need to offer low-cost youth education programs that address a wide-range of adolescent health risk behaviors and is easily accessible to all. However, many students currently do not have access to programs that address the range of substances, violence, and sexual health issues present in today’s society.

Technology Overview
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have recently developed a reproductive and sexual health unit that is affordable to all. Catered to middle school students, this reproductive and sexual health unit is designed to supplement current existing programs. If adopted by an already existing prevention program, this supplementary unit would allow one curriculum to address multiple adolescent health risk behaviors. Additionally, if the parent program already has existing substance use and violence education modules in place, the addition of this supplementary unit will make it the first program that addresses substances, violence, and sexual health. Partnered with the right company, this would serve as an accessible and affordable youth education program with the potential to better the lives of the next generation.

Stage of Development
Supplementary unit has been completed. Currently developing an implementation toolkit to accompany the supplementary unit.

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