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Sexual Health Indicators Survey for Youth-Canada

The Sexual Health Indicators Survey for Youth-Canada is a self-administered 33-item measure. It measures the following seven dimensions of sexual health of young people: self-efficacy in protection use, STI/HIV testing self-efficacy, sexual communication self-efficacy, sexual limit-setting self-efficacy, sexual assertiveness, partner violence victimization; and sexual coercion victimization.

Categories

Geographies Tested: Canada

Populations Included: Female, Male, Transgender, Other

Age Range: Adolescents, Adults

Items:

Protection self-efficacy
1. If I wanted to practice "safer sex" with someone, I would insist on doing so
2. I feel confident in my ability to use protection on myself andor my partner
3. I feel confident I could purchase protection without feeling embarrassed
4. I feel confident in my ability to discuss protection usage with any partner I might have
5. If I or my partner didn't have protection, I feel confident in my ability to suggest less risky activities, even in the heat of passion
6. I feel confident in my ability to suggest using protection with a new partner
7. I feel confident I could bring up the topic of protection with my health-care provider
8. I feel confident I could easily ask my partner if heshe had protection (or tell them that I didn't)

STIHIV testing self-efficacy
9. I feel confident I could ask a doctor or health-care provider specifically for HIV testing
10. I feel confident I could ask my partner to get tested specifically for HIV
11. I feel confident I could ask my doctor or health-care provider for STI testing
12. I feel confident I could ask my partner to get tested for STIs
13. If I got an STI, I feel confident I could tell my current partner(s) about it

Sexual communication self-efficacy
14. If I were regularly having problems becoming sexually aroused, I feel confident I could ask a doctor about it
15. If I were regularly experiencing pain during sexual activity, I feel confident I could ask a doctor about it
16. If I were regularly experiencing pain during sexual activity, I feel confident I could talk to my partner(s) about it
17. If I have questions about sexual health, I feel I could ask a teacher, health-care professional, andor other sexual health educator

Sexual limit-setting self-efficacy
18. I feel confident I would be able to go out with someone without feeling obligated to engage in sexual activity
19. I feel confident I would be able to choose when and where to engage in sexual activity
20. I feel confident I would be able to refuse sexual activity with someone I'm not comfortable with

Sexual assertiveness
21. I am assertive about the sexual aspects of my life
22. I am direct about voicing my sexual needs and preferences
23. I am the type of person who insists on having my sexual needs met
24. If I were to have sex with someone, I'd tell my partner what I like
25. I feel confident I would be able to say to someone how heshe can give me sexual pleasure

Response Options:
Strongly disagree - 1
Disagree - 2
Neither agree nor disagree - 3
Agree - 4
Strongly agree - 5

Partner violence victimization
26. In general, in your sexual relationships, how often does it happen that one (or some) of your partners verbally intimidates you?
27. In general, in your sexual relationships, how often does it happen that one (or some) of your partners is aggressive toward you?
28. In general, in your sexual relationships, how often does it happen that one (or some) of your partners insults you?
29. In general, in your sexual relationships, how often does it happen that one (or some) of your partners physically hurts you?

Response Options:
Never - 1
Once - 2
Two or three times - 3
Four or five times - 4
More than five times - 5

Sexual coercion victimization
30. How often have you been forced to engage in sexual acts without your consent (without you wanting to do it)?
31. How often have you had sexual contact without your consent with a person in exchange for money?
32. How often have you had sexual contact without your consent with a person in exchange for drugs?
33. How often have you had sexual contact without your consent with a person in exchange for gifts, goods, a place to sleep, food, or services?

Response Options:
Never - 1
Rarely - 2
Sometimes - 3
Almost always - 4
Always - 5

Scoring Procedures

The mean of each subscale is calculated.

Original Citation

Smylie, L., Clarke, B., Doherty, M., Gahagan, J., Numer, M., Otis, J., Smith, G., McKay, A., & Soon, C. (2013). The development and validation of sexual health indicators of Canadians aged 16-24 years. Public Health Reports, 128(Supplement 1), 53-61. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549131282S106


Psychometric Score

Ease of Use Score

Scoring breakdown

Formative Research

Qualitative Research

Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework

Field Expert Input

Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing

Reliability

Internal

Test-retest

Interrater

Validity

Content

Face

Criterion (gold-standard)

Construct

KEY

Ease of Use

Readability

Scoring Clarity

Length

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