Let’s Talk About Sex!

A community survey on LGBTQ+ youth sexual health in Singapore

20 April 2023

Sexual health in youth has been extensively studied over the years. However, local research on sexual health of youth who are not cisgender and/or heterosexual is mostly focused on gay, bisexual, and queer cisgender boys and men. This often excludes transgender youth, as well as lesbian, bisexual and queer young women who are cisgender.

To contribute to the better understanding of local LGBTQ+ youth sexual health, in 2022 Oogachaga launched “Let’s Talk About Sex!”, a sexual health survey of LGBTQ+ youth aged between 16 and 29 years old in Singapore. The survey collected information on participants’:

1) Sexual health knowledge

2) Sexual behaviour, and

3) Sexual health practices.

Key findings

The survey received 413 completed responses from the community. Here are the key findings:

  1. LGBTQ+ youths consider themselves to be fairly well-informed on sexual health, with an average self-rating of 3.64 out of 5 points for sexual health knowledge.

  2. Online resources are highly used by LGBTQ+ youths for obtaining information on sexual health, with medical websites being the most popular (73.4%), followed by community and non-medical websites (65.6%). The next most common source of sexual health information is their friends (51.3%).

  3. The majority of LGBTQ+ youths (77.2%) are unsure of where to seek local LGBTQ-affirming or LGBTQ-friendly sexual health services.

  4. LGBTQ+ youths prefer to discuss their sexual health with their friends (73.1%), followed by their partner/s (62.4%), and healthcare providers (39.7%).

  5. LGBTQ+ youths are using a variety of safer sex practices, with barriers (such as condoms, and dental dams) being the most commonly used.

  6. Almost one-third of LGBTQ+ youths (30%) have experienced pressure to engage in sexual acts.

  7. For LGBTQ+ youths who are sexually active, 58.4% have never undergone screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI).

  8. Almost half of LGBTQ+ youths (47.1%) who have experienced STI symptoms have not had a follow-up with a doctor.

You can download the Report below:

This community survey was made possible by a grant from Gilead Sciences.

 
 

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