Reproductive System & Sexual Disorders: Current Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-038X
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2161-038X
+44 1300 500008
Alaina Szlachta
Widener University, USA
The National Domestic Violence Hotline, USA
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Reprod Syst Sex Disord
As the youth population in the USA becomes progressively diverse; educators, researchers, and practitioners are linking the effectiveness of educational and health outcomes to cultural competence. Researchers have yet to fully develop a description of the intercultural perspectives and behaviors that would be effective when working with culturally diverse youth populations in the field of sexual and reproductive health. The perspective that is often unexamined in sexual health research is how practitioners perceive cultural similarities and differences and how that knowledge is incorporated into the design of effective learning and health care environments. Using a mixed-methods exploratory model, I conducted a study to assess sexuality educators� cultural competence and behaviors culturally competent educators used to connect with diverse youth populations. I believe training educators and practitioners on the culturally responsive behaviors identified within my national population of sexuality educators can significantly increase educators and practitioner�s ability to effectively treat and educate youth in the areas of reproductive health. The workshop I propose will present the theoretically-based cultural competence assessment tool, the quantitative and qualitative outcomes of my study, and the practical ways to improve culturally responsive practices with diverse youth populations.