Sexual Health

Overview

Students taking subjects from this specialisation will be immersed in ‘content and thinking’ relevant to the current practice and theory of sexual and reproductive health from a public health perspective. This includes current thinking around adolescent sexuality and wellbeing, recent and emerging threats to STI control, as well as current research and practice in all aspects of sexual and reproductive health. Australia is used as a case example and comparisons are made with other similar countries as well as with dissimilar environments and communities worldwide. International experts from Australia and overseas with contrasting expertise in the field contribute to the teaching adding a broad and diverse approach to understanding the varied influences on sexual health.  Global issues, such as HIV control and prevention, reproductive health rights (including abortion and unmet need for contraception), social determinants, cultural differences, rising STI rates and increasing antibiotic resistance are addressed. Clinicians, social scientists, researchers, epidemiologists and health promotion experts all contribute to a broad-based public health approach to sexual health.

Possible roles in the field include government roles in notification and disease control, health promotion, sexuality educators, clinical roles in sexual health in hospitals and community settings and research roles in social science and epidemiological aspects of sexual health. Organisations that employ people in the sexual health field include Health promotion organisations, community health, public hospitals, state government infectious diseases departments, surveillance and notification departments and public health departments of universities.

Last updated: 10 November 2023