1 in 20 Sex-Ed It's not Quite There Yet

Young Canadians remember learning about PrEP, PEP and U=U in Sex-Ed.

PrEP is a drug which is taken prior to a potential HIV exposure and reduces the chance of transmission. Only 5% of young Canadians recalled learning about it in Sex-Ed. Similar numbers were reported for knowledge regarding PEP, a short course of HIV medicines that is started 72 hours after a possible exposure to HIV to prevent infection. U=U refers to how HIV is untransmittable for people living with HIV and have an undetectable viral load from antiretroviral drugs. Only 4% of Canadian youth remember learning about U=U in Sex-Ed in Canada.

Specifically, youth wanted more practical guidance and actionable information that would assist them in navigating sexual relationships, communication, decisionmaking, and acquiring the necessary skills to engage in safe and enjoyable sexual experiences.

While 68% of youth remember learning about STIs and HIV prevention in Sex-Ed, a very small proportion of students possess knowledge on HIV prevention terms such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).

“Besides condoms, did you know that there is another way to prevent HIV transmission?”