Juventude, sexualidade e reprodução

Abstract

In contemporary times, youth is considered both the best phase in life and also a period of great risk. The former refers to physical and psychological potential and the latter especially to possible damage to health. Two areas set the stage for such risks: sociability, involving widespread fear of exposure to violence and drug use, and sexuality, with the issues of early sexual initiation, AIDS, and "teenage pregnancy". These concepts, widespread in commonsense and the media, portray youth as incapable of managing their own affective and sexual lives and frequently displaying irresponsible behaviors. The dominant image is one of an unbridled sex life typified by fleeting relationships. This image feeds on a wide variety of prejudices that scientific research should help to deconstruct.The current thematic issue of Cadernos de Saúde Pública/ Reports in Public Health aims to expand the multidisciplinary collective health perspective, with a peculiarity -it concentrates on a series of studies that have drawn on the database from the GRAVAD Research Project -Teenage Pregnancy: A Multi-center Study on Youth, Sexuality, and Reproduction in Brazil. The project stemmed from the fact that important gaps had been observed in knowledge on a phenomenon that generates intense public debate but has been treated like a self-evident social problem.Other contributions were incorporated, based on various studies on youth or sexual practices -and how to estimate them -in particular homosexuality.Adolescent sexuality is one of the spheres for acquiring individual autonomy in relation to the original nuclear family. The construction of this private space presupposes learning about relating affectively and sexually. Modes of sexual interaction derive from cultural prescriptions which vary, according to the historical time, social milieu, and gender. Accumulated knowledge on sexual behaviors, especially since the advent of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, has highlighted the importance of social modeling for sexual conduct and especially the latter's interface with health. Phenomena considered alarming, such as the low rate of contraceptive use among youth and teenage pregnancy merit in-depth study. Abortion is the reverse phenomenon, and is ignored, performed under precarious conditions for poor youth and in protected circumstances for those from higher social strata. Two articles focus specifically on this theme.In Brazil, STD/AIDS prevention policies have failed to incorporate contraception into their strategies. This separation results from the lack of a broader perspective on the sphere of sexuality and ends up recommending educational and health measures based on individual behavior change. This stance overlooks that behaviors are socially grasped and that important gender differences orient subjects' behavior. It is thus imperative to expand the focus of policies targeting youth.To approach youth, sexuality, and reproduction through a multidisciplinary prism expands the understanding of the learning processes in sexuality, forms of affe...

Diferenças regionais de conhecimento, opinião e uso de contraceptivo de emergência entre universitários brasileiros de cursos da área de saúde

“…A adolescência é considerada a melhor fase da vida 1 . É nesse período que os potenciais físicos e psíquicos estão no auge, mas, devido às características próprias do desenvolvimento psicoemocional do adolescente, constitui-se momento de extrema vulnerabilidade a riscos 1 .…”

Adolescent Pregnancy in Argentina: Evidence-Based Recommendations for Public Policies

“…The construction of adolescent pregnancy as a ''social problem'' was the result of a variety of factors: the absolute and relative growth of the adolescent population, a smaller reduction in adolescent fertility than in adult women; the increased medicalisation of pregnancy and increased access to health care services by lowincome sectors, which gave adolescent mothers greater social visibility; social and cultural changes; and particularly adults' preoccupation with sexual activity among young people. [1][2][3] In Argentina, the adolescent fertility rate (age 15-19 years) is around 62 per 1,000, lower than the average rate of Latin America and the Caribbean (72.4 per 1,000), lower also than that of neighbouring countries Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, but significantly higher than Chile (43.6). Although the rate has steadily declined since 1980, when it peaked at 78 per 1,000, it has not yet fallen back to the levels observed at the beginning of the 1960s (58.4).…”

Hiv prevention in the school context: what we have and what we want

“…1 The experience of youth experience is pervaded by profound changes vary according to the culture and values of each society determined by instances of socialization of the subject that are represented by families, schools, churches and the media, which influences on issues on education, health and human development. 3 In the process of socialization of youth, other factors may also be associated with vulnerability of these HIV/AIDS and the stigmas and prejudices inherent in the social construction of youth, socioeconomic barriers, the need for the new trial, the flaws in the educational system, the blurring of identity, the urgency in the future, shortages, gaps in The actions those are performed in schools are aimed primarily at prevention principles of pedagogy, aiming that the students learn to protect themselves during sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and the chances of a teen pregnancy. 8 Practice a "form of communication primarily cognitive-rational character", disregarding the contexts which fall within these young.…”