Funding outcome

Parents play an important role in promoting the sexual health of their children. However, children's sexuality education continues to be a debated topic. As a result, Children and adolescents' access to sexuality education is severely compromised. Parents' own lack of appropriate sexual health related content can result in inaccurate information being shared and may increase their feelings of uncertainty about how to best educate their own children. The purpose of the Empowering Children and Adolescents through Sexuality Education (ECASE) study is to understand and give voice to parents' experiences and information needs in providing comprehensive sexuality education to children and adolescents and to understand parents' concerns, anxieties, experiences, and perceived responsibilities regarding the communication about knowledge of sexuality. Moreover, to develop digital knowledge translation tools that can better support parents in providing age-appropriate and gender-oriented sexuality education. We will use community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to work directly with diverse groups of parents to identify experiences and concerns regarding communication about knowledge of sexuality. The principal outcome of this parent-partnered project is to identify their knowledge and information needs and prioritize strategies/interventions that respond to these needs. Moreover, CBPR approach acknowledges and integrates the participants' cultural traditions, religious beliefs, aspects of their socioeconomic status, and their culturally grounded ways of helping. CBPR uses an iterative methodology that seeks to tailor interventions to the priorities, needs and preferences of the targeted population. This research on developing of digital KT tool for parents on teaching sexuality education to children will contribute to the knowledge base of the Sexual Health needs of parents. Targeting parents and using engaging modalities could increase their involvement in the healthcare decision-making of their children and adolescents.