Open research questions in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

What the literature leaves open

• further study on the impact of parental disclosure on psychosocial well-being, - examination of the effects of time-varying marital status on trajectories

  A 15-Year Longitudinal Case-Control Study of the Psychosocial Outcomes of Sexual Orientation Disclosure to Parents Among Chinese Gay Men · 2026 · DOI

• There is a lack of understanding of the long-term implications of parental disclosure for gay men in China. Prior research has focused on the short-term consequences of disclosure, with limited attention to the long-term effects.

  A 15-Year Longitudinal Case-Control Study of the Psychosocial Outcomes of Sexual Orientation Disclosure to Parents Among Chinese Gay Men · 2026 · DOI

• Further research should explore the experiences of YABW from diverse backgrounds, - Studies should investigate the effectiveness of different sex education programs for YABW

  Unmet Sex Education Needs among Young Adult Black Women in the United States: a Qualitative Exploration of Perceived Informational Gaps in School-Based Sex Education · 2026 · DOI

• The gap in understanding the unmet sex education needs of young adult Black women. The lack of comprehensive sex education in US schools. The decline in the quality of sex education in the US.

  Unmet Sex Education Needs among Young Adult Black Women in the United States: a Qualitative Exploration of Perceived Informational Gaps in School-Based Sex Education · 2026 · DOI

• There is limited empirical evidence on how sexual health awareness and condom knowledge influence risky sexual behaviors in early adolescence, particularly in Tanzanian primary schools. The study aims to address this gap by examining the relationship between sexual health awareness, condom knowledge, and risky sexual behaviors among primary school adolescents.

  Sexual Health Awareness and Condom Knowledge as Determinants of Risky Sexual Behaviours among Primary School Adolescents in Tanzania: Insights for Policy and Practice · 2026 · DOI

• Participants described stigma, confidentiality concerns, and cost as barriers to timely care. Logistical and financial barriers limited young people's ability to access care discreetly. Anticipated stigma from parents, families, and peers translated into testing avoidance, even when young people believed it was important for their health.

  Low Knowledge, High Risk: Understanding STI Perceptions and Experiences Among Young People in Texas · 2026 · DOI

• The sample size was limited to 33 participants - The study only included participants from Texas - Theoretical sampling was used, which may not be representative of the larger population

  Low Knowledge, High Risk: Understanding STI Perceptions and Experiences Among Young People in Texas · 2026 · DOI

• Further research is needed to explore the relationship between sexual health awareness and risky sexual behaviors, - Studies should investigate the effectiveness of comprehensive sexual education programs in improving sexual health awareness, - Research should examine the role of gender in shaping sexual health awareness and behaviors

  Sexual Health Awareness and Condom Knowledge as Determinants of Risky Sexual Behaviours among Primary School Adolescents in Tanzania: Insights for Policy and Practice · 2026 · DOI

• Abstract Sexuality education in primary schools remains a site of socio-political contestation, yet empirical insight into children's own questions and first-person perspectives is scarce.

  ‘Why Do We Love Each Other?’ A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Authentic Questions by Children in the Context of Sexuality Education in Primary Schools · 2026 · DOI

• Conclusions The GFF co-financing model has increased attention to AHW and aligned investors, but progress is insufficient to drive transformative change.

  Financing of adolescent health and wellbeing in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Nigeria: a case study of the Global Financing Facility · 2026 · DOI

• Domestic resources are key to progress, although the actual amount of the budget allocation and impact on AHW specific outcomes remain unknown.

  Financing of adolescent health and wellbeing in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Nigeria: a case study of the Global Financing Facility · 2026 · DOI

• Community behavioural resilience remains poorly understood in low-income settings, creating a critical gap in STI pandemic preparedness.

  Community behavioural resilience and STIs: Predictors of pandemic preparedness in a low-resource setting in Cameroon · 2026 · DOI

• However, the relationship between social capital and condom use among sexually active young people in Ghana is not well understood.

  The Impact of Social Capital on Condom Use at Last Sex Among Sexually Active Young People in Ghana: A Cross‐Sectional Study Design · 2026 · DOI

• Stress during this time can affect decision making; however, limited research has examined the relationship between biological stress correlates and sexual behavior among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in high-HIV incidence areas.

  Stress-responsive biomarkers and sexual behaviors among young women in rural South Africa · 2025 · DOI

• Yet, evidence of the effect of social media on the sexual behaviours of adolescents is scarce.

  Association between social media use and adolescents’ sexual behaviours: a cross-sectional study among high school students in Drobo, Ghana · 2025 · DOI

• While both risks can be prevented simultaneously by the same safe sexual practice, such as abstinence or dual protection use, little is known about the patterns and predictors of a range of safer sexual dual protection behaviors among youth based on theoretical models in Ethiopia.

  The Effects of Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model in Predicting Safer Sexual Dual Protection Behaviors Among Female University Students: A Cross-sectional Study · 2025 · DOI

• PURPOSE: Few studies have examined disparities in-and social determinants of-contraception use among rural adolescents despite evidence of higher teen birth rates and greater STI risk in rural communities.

  Social determinants of contraception use among rural adolescents: Implications for addressing disparities · 2024 · DOI

• However, there is limited research using consistent and standardized methodology to examine associations between tobacco and alcohol use frequency and both total and risky sexual behaviors among adolescents.

  Associations of tobacco and alcohol use with sexual behaviors among adolescents in 59 countries: a population-based study · 2024 · DOI

• The findings revealed moderate overall STI knowledge, with gaps in understanding transmission routes (31.

  Assessing Women’s Knowledge and Awareness of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Study · 2024 · DOI

• Conclusions: This study reveals adolescents’ limited knowledge about sexually transmitted infections, misconceptions about prevention, and reliance on peers and the internet over trusted sources, highlighting the need for comprehensive sexual education in middle school.

  Adolescents’ Knowledge and Misconceptions About Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study in Middle School Students in Portugal · 2024 · DOI

• However, because contraceptive use among sexually active adolescents remains unexplored in sub-Saharan Africa, the researchers intended to examine the prevalence and factors associated with contraceptive use among adolescent girls who had been sexually active in the previous four weeks.

  Prevalence and factors associated with contraceptive use among sexually active adolescent girls in 25 sub-Saharan African countries · 2024 · DOI

• Limited evidence is available on the vulnerability of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) to sexual risk behaviour and STI/HIV.

  Vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) / Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among adolescent girls and young women in India: A rapid review · 2024 · DOI

• While the prevalence of STIs during pregnancy has been well studied, the prevalence of STIs in the postpartum period and its association with HIV viral suppression are underreported.

  Sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis among adolescent girls and young women in the early postpartum period: a cross-sectional study · 2024 · DOI

• However, there are limited data especially from developing countries such as India to plan gender equality related programmes targeted at adolescents.

  Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours about gender equality: a cross-sectional survey of adolescents from rural India · 2024 · DOI

• There is a lack of support structures to foster young people's success and the community's overall well-being in low-income urban areas. Insufficient funding for programs in schools and the broader community is a major challenge.

  Reducing Risky Sexual Behaviours Among Youth: A Community Partnerships Approach · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

• Secondary Sexual Characteristics and Menses in Young Girls Seen in Office Practice: A Study from the Pediatric Research in Office Settings Network · PEDIATRICS · 1997 · 1,293 citations
• Theories of reasoned action and planned behavior as models of condom use: A meta-analysis. · Psychological Bulletin · 2001 · 1,125 citations
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among American Youth: Incidence and Prevalence Estimates, 2000 · Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health · 2004 · 1,117 citations
• Sexuality, Schooling, and Adolescent Females: The Missing Discourse of Desire · Harvard Educational Review · 1988 · 875 citations
• Methodological problems in AIDS behavioral research: Influences on measurement error and participation bias in studies of sexual behavior. · Psychological Bulletin · 1990 · 787 citations
• Towards an Understanding of Risk Behavior: An AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM) · Health Education Quarterly · 1990 · 647 citations
• Adolescents' Self-Assessment of Sexual Maturation · PEDIATRICS · 1980 · 637 citations
• Psychosocial correlates of heterosexual condom use: A meta-analysis. · Psychological Bulletin · 1999 · 572 citations
• The Association Between Health Risk Behaviors and Sexual Orientation Among a School-based Sample of Adolescents · PEDIATRICS · 1998 · 560 citations
• Substance use and risky sexual behavior for exposure to HIV: Issues in methodology, interpretation, and prevention. · American Psychologist · 1993 · 555 citations

Most recent work

• Comprehensive Sexuality Education: a Qualitative Study on the Perspectives of Teachers, Parents and Adolescents · Sexuality Research and Social Policy · 2026
• Students’ perceptions of a sexual and reproductive health vending machine intervention at a Native American-serving nontribal institution · Journal of American College Health · 2026
• Inclusive Intimacy: Sexual Experiences, Debut, and Partners Among Females Ages 15–25 with and Without Disability, NSFG 2011–2019 · Sexuality and Disability · 2026
• ''Circumstantial Determinants'': An Efficient Approach to Reaching People in Need of HIV Prevention? · medRxiv · 2026
• Mapping Evaluated University Primary Prevention Interventions Against a Whole-of-University Framework: A Scoping Review · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · 2026
• Life skills as predictors of risky sexual behaviors among primary school adolescents in Tanzania · Acta Psychologica · 2026
• Nonconsensual sexual behavior among youth: Age dynamics and implications for prevention · Child Abuse & Neglect · 2026
• Co-producing proportionate responses to adolescent sexual behaviours: The development of the Young People's Sexual Behaviours Mapping Tool (YSB-MT) · Child Abuse & Neglect · 2026
• How Do Egocentric Sexual Networks Affect Male Migrants’ HIV Sexual Behavior Patterns in Gender-Imbalanced China? The Moderating Role of Migration and Neighborhoods · Archives of Sexual Behavior · 2026
• More Pills, Safer Sex? Emergency Contraception and Sexual and Reproductive Behavior Among Youths in Chile · Archives of Sexual Behavior · 2026

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