Brook research
Boys, young men and sexual health services
A review of research into boys’ and young men’s use of sexual health services, published by Brook at the beginning of National Condom Week, reveals that as many as 93% of boys and young men who visit a sexual health service say that getting condoms was the main reason for their visit. However, boys and young men only accounted for 14% of visits by under-20s to NHS contraceptive services in 2005-2006, and one study suggests that some young men wait for as long as two years after they become sexually active before they visit a service.
This literature review is the first phase of a new study being carried out by Brook in collaboration with Working With Men, with the support of Durex. The study will find out more about what influences some young men to use sexual health services, and the findings will be used to help service providers increase the numbers of boys and young men getting sexual health advice.
Survey of Local Safeguarding Children Boards on the implementation of Working Together
Brook and Action on Rights for Children (ARCH) sent a survey about local protocols on working with sexually active young people to the Chairs of all 153 Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs). The purpose of this survey was to find out more about how LSCBs had implemented the Working Together guidance published by the Department for Education and Skills in May 2006.
For more details of the findings, published in March 2007, please see the summary findings and press release.
Wise Up! survey of Brook clients
Brook carried out this survey of Brook clients in August and September 2005 to inform the development of its Wise Up! campaign. We wanted to find out more about young people's views on and experiences of the sexual health advice and services available to them and their knowledge and views of their rights on sexual health, particularly in relation to confidentiality.
The choreography of condom use
This report, published by Brook on 19 May 2005, revealed that many sexually active young people put themselves at risk because they do not use condoms consistently or correctly. The study, funded by the Big Lottery Fund and carried out by the Centre for Sexual Health Research at the University of Southampton, found that only a third of sexually active young people reported using condoms consistently. It also revealed some major gaps in young people's knowledge of sexual health issues.
For more details, see the press release, research summary, or full report.
