Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, December 2022
The Australian National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health (SSASH) survey is a national study exploring the sexual health and well-being of school-age young people in Australia. The study explores young people’s experiences of sex, relationships, sexual health and school-based relationships and sexuality education (RSE).
SSASH helps to inform progress against the National STI Strategy with respect to prevention of STIs, and the effectiveness of STI education, among young people. Findings have also been used to inform state/territory sexual health and STI prevention strategies, service provision, sexual health promotion and education.
The study has been the basis for the development of classroom resources to support RSE including the national Talking Sexual Health materials, the Western Australian Growing Developing Healthy Relationships materials, the Victorian Catching On Early / Catching On Later materials and the 1998 Keep It Simple Safe Sex (KISSS) guide for young people, the most widely distributed Commonwealth health resource in its time.
The study was established in 1992 and there have been a total of seven iterations of the survey since then, most recently in 2021.
Power, J., Kauer, S., Fisher, C., Chapman-Bellamy, R., & Bourne, A. (2022). The 7th National Survey of Australian Secondary Students and Sexual Health 2021 (ARCSHS Monograph Series No. 133). Melbourne: The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University