National Survey of Australian Secondary Students and Sexual Health 1992-2018: Trends Over Time

The National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, carried out in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2008, 2013, and 2018, serves as a key piece of surveillance research to inform the national strategies. Over the years, the survey has involved 15,756 year 10 and 12 students from the Government, Catholic and Independent school systems and from every Australian state and territory (except NSW in 1992). This Trends Over Timemonograph reports, for the first time, on comparable questions across all 6 waves of the survey. Comparisons highlight how secondary students in Australia have fared on their sexual health knowledge and practices over 25 years. Trends indicate where progress has been observed in improving key determinants of sexual health and wellbeing among young people. The trends also provide indications where gaps exist and how generations of young people have evolved in their sexual health knowledge and practices over the years.