Quick Hits

In the most recent issue of Contemporary Sexuality, we took a look at the evolving state of sexuality education around the world, both in the context of the education we receive in our childhood, and the additional education we may or may not receive years later as professionals. In terms of the former, we wrote about the fact that it can be difficult to track who is learning what, as sexuality education programs are decided upon on a case by case basis among each school district.

Reported in a post on Bustle, Thornapple Kellogg Schools, a Michigan school district, has developed a new sexual and reproductive health curriculum for those students with intellectual and/or learning disabilities. The special education program will be officially implemented into the district this coming fall semester.

A study conducted by the University of Washington, the research of which was recently published in the Journal of Sex Research, explored patterns of risky sexual behavior among heterosexual men ages 18 to 25. This sample included both men who self-reported using abusive and controlling behaviors in their relationships, and those who did not.

Just last month, we blogged about a new crop of sexual health smartphone apps that were exploding into the virtual marketplace. More recent news brings the announcement of a DNA test developed by researchers, made for smartphones, that can detect chlamydia, the most commonly reported STI in the U.S. 

Dr. Shehzad Basaria of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston conducted a four-month trial in order to observe the effects of testosterone therapy on those with ejaculation problems. Basaria and his colleagues studied 76 men with symptoms of ejaculatory dysfunction, such as delayed ejaculation, inability to ejaculate, reduced ejaculate volume, and reduced force of ejaculation. All of these men had been diagnosed with low testosterone levels. 

Campus sexual assault has been more visible in the news this past year, especially since Rolling Stone's "A Rape on Campus," story, the backlash, and its retraction. Since then, states and universities have been grappling with the definition of "consent," attempting to put rules in place to protect people going forward.

How do you define, and then implement, sexual health in the work that you do? This is the question we ask in our most recent issue of Contemporary Sexuality, in which our feature story lays out our history of defining the term, and an accompanying story presents comments from various AASECT members on how they themselves define and implement it in their own work.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a report on the relationship between sexual health, human rights, and the law. This report purports to show how "states in different parts of the world can and do support sexual health through legal and other mechanisms that are consistent with human rights standards and their own human rights obligations."

A recent study, the results of which were published in the American Journal of Public Health, shows that health care providers show bias based upon sexual orientation.

Because of changes in how women are screened for cervical cancer, making annual Pap tests unnecessary, regular STD screenings are on the deline. This means that those with STDs such as chlamydia, a common but easily treatable sexually transmitted disease, go untreated. This is concerning, as chlamydia that is left untreated can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, making it difficult to get pregnant. It can also lead to preterm delivery, and conjunctivitis and pneumonia in newborns.