Kane, Emma, Jenna Stewardson, and Tiffany L Panko. "Sex Education for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students: Inclusion and Access." RIT Undergraduate Research Symposium. RIT. Rochester, NY. 31 Aug. 2025. Poster Session.
Comprehensive sex education is a type of sex education that provides accurate, comprehensive education on relationships, human sexuality, and reproductive health – only 10 states have this as policy. Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals have inadequate health literacy, due to the language and communication barriers. Previous literature has shown that DHH individuals without language access are more likely to experience negative health outcomes. The study aims to investigate the current state of sex education for DHH students by administering a REDCap online survey. Participants had the opportunity to recall what topics were taught in their sex education classes and provide their opinions on “I Agree With” statements on a Likert Scale to assess their experience with and views on sex education. Findings show that Deaf and Hard of Hearing participants have reported that the implementation of gaming and peer educators will greatly improve their sex education experiences.