None of the vital aspects of overall health and well-being may be as shrouded in mystery as sexual health. Because the topic is so commonly considered taboo, many of us grow up embarrassed to ask our sexual health-related questions or too timid to discuss our own bodies and sexual-health-related matters, making it challenging to find reliable information on the topic.
Today, however, many adults find themselves woefully undereducated on the topic and seek out comprehensive sexual health information through books or online resources to better educate themselves on the matter. The modern digital age has made finding a litany of information easier and more accessible than ever before, though not all of the information that can be found online is appropriately vetted, up-to-date, or relevant to certain personal situations.
Thankfully, numerous reputable organizations are taking up the cause of sexual health education and seeking to fill in the gaps. One such organization, Hope & Help out of Central Florida, offers robust health education backed by expert knowledge and comprehensive care for those who need it most.
“We help start and facilitate important conversations,” says Lisa Barr, Executive Director of Hope & Help. “From access to STI protection to normalizing important conversations about sexual health, we help get necessary health education out there where it’s needed.”
Whether it’s for someone exploring their sexuality or someone who recognizes they were not as informed on sexual health matters as they could be, Hope & Help is a resource for confidential services and accessible information without judgment.
Health and wellness resources
Comprehensive sexual health education is critical because it is a crucial function of taking care of one’s body and guarding one’s wellness, providing people with the necessary guidance and tools for protection, STI testing, HIV and AIDS awareness, and pregnancy. Through sexual health education, people can make informed decisions about their bodies and relationships, including learning communication skills that make talking about sexual topics easier.
A recent survey of 1,500 American adults found that a staggering 90% felt unprepared for sexual experiences based on the education they had received. These surprising numbers illustrate the need for services like those Hope & Help offers.
Hope & Help originally started as a small group in 1988 that was caring for a friend who was dying from AIDS-related illness. Since that time, the organization has grown into a multifaceted community-based resource for HIV and STI services, testing, case management, medical care, and — of course — sexual health education. Their location in Central Florida is critical in meeting the community’s demand for their services.
“With Florida ranking in the top five states for new HIV diagnoses, now is not the time to be shying away from sexual health education,” says Barr. “Our objective is to remove all barriers to sexual education that is medically accurate, science-based, and age-appropriate.”
According to Barr, our sexual health needs may change as we age and grow. For example, someone who is younger and thinking about starting a family has different education needs than someone who is menopausal and wants to know more about sexual health in later life.
Through outreach programs, prevention teams, and health educators, Hope & Help brings needed information to the community. Their approach to protection is to give a wealth of options that go beyond abstinence-only education. While abstinence-only education must provide medically accurate information by law, the programs that focus primarily on abstinence-only education tend to fall far short of being comprehensive.
The Hope & Help website offers extensive resources for those seeking help, information, and further education, including a deep-dive of information on the HIV prevention tool PrEP, free condom programs, and rapid test programs for HIV and other STIs. They also offer gender-affirming care and HRT services, opening up the door to conversations about gender awareness and topics surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. From lists of primary care physicians to insightful blog posts about topics such as the stigma that persists around HIV and AIDS, Hope & Help has aimed to give all of the information people could need to live healthy sexual lives.
Finding resources
In today’s world, where comprehensive sexual health education can be hard to come by on our own, organizations like Hope & Help are vital. The misinformation and myths that abound surrounding everything from abortion to HIV and AIDS can only be dispelled through education, which Barr and her team consider the center of their education platform.
Organizations like Hope & Help are a great place to start for educational resources. Their team has been vetted, their educational resources are accurate and science-based, and they genuinely care about the health and well-being of their community members.
Seeking sexual health education resources is crucial for people at all stages of life and members of all communities, whether they believe they are at high risk for STIs or not. When people are empowered with accurate, science-backed information, they have the confidence to make informed decisions and even collectively change the trajectory of public health concerns such as HIV and AIDS.
Comprehensive sexual health education resources like those offered by Hope & Help go beyond the biological. Topics such as communication, gender identity, media literacy, and fostering healthy relationships all fall under the umbrella of sexual health. Through their community outreach, fundraising, and building of a vetted team of experts, Hope & Help is closing the sexual health education gap by providing up-to-date and accurate education to those who need it, improving outcomes, and stopping the spread of harmful misinformation.