Designing research-based materials to promote safer sex amongst young people

Studies of relationships, sexual behaviour, condom use, termination rates and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases suggest that many young people require greater preparation if they are to minimise distress and health threats in their romantic and sexual relationships. Yet most safer sex promotion programmes have been found to be ineffective. Social cognitive theories have been found to reliably distinguish between those who do an do not report subsequent condom use. These theories provide a framework for designing and evaluating safer sex promotion materials and have informed the development of a new school-based sex education programme - the SHARE programme.