Taking the Sexy Health Carnival across Turtle Island

Abstract

This article describes a peer-led intervention called the Sexy Health Carnival (SHC) that takes a strengths-based approach to promoting Indigenous youth sexual health in a culturally safe context. Expanding on an Ontario pilot study, a group of Indigenous youth leaders went to 11 Indigenous gatherings across Turtle Island, also known as North America, from 2017 to 2020 where they administered an offline iPad survey to 150 Indigenous youth (aged 16–25 years) who engaged with the SHC. The survey gathered descriptive data on HIV prevention behaviors and intentions, and the acceptability of the SHC approach within Indigenous community gatherings. Results demonstrate that doing Indigenous peer-led sexual health and HIV outreach through the SHC is well received among Indigenous youth. Indigenous youth are capable of reaching their peers and developing successful sexual health outreach and HIV prevention resources for each other.