Sexually Transmitted Infections

What are Sexually Transmitted & Blood Borne Infections (STBBIs)?

STBBIs are common infections that can pass from one person to another during sexual contact (e.g. oral, anal, and vaginal). Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) or Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are other names for STBBIs. STBBIs can pass from person to person through bodily fluids, sharing needles, or through contaminated tools such as tattoo or body piercing equipment. Some STBBIs cause sores that contain viruses or bacteria that cause STBBIs. Touching the sores through genital skin-to-skin contact can also spread infection.

Some examples of STBBIs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), but there are more than 20 types of STBBIs. Genital herpes and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are other STBBIs that can pass from one person to another through intimate skin-to-skin contact.

Among Windsor-Essex County (WEC) residents aged 15-19 years old, approximately 40.6% of males and 25.0% of females reported having engaged in sexual intercourse, and a quarter of these reported engaging in intercourse as early as age 15. Within this same reporting population, 60% of males and 85% of females reported using a condom the last time they had sex. Chlamydia was the most reported STBBI in 2021 in WEC, with 19% of the reported cases among those aged 10-19 years of age and 2% of WEC gonorrhea cases and 2% of hepatitis C cases were also reported among this same population. In 2014, STIs were estimated to cost WEC $21.9 million in direct and indirect costs (WECHU Dashboard, 2022).

Visit the WECHU Sexual Health page for more information on some of the most common STBBIs and how to be protected. 

Using the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School framework, schools, school boards, parents, and community partners can work together to develop healthy school environments that promote and support student well-being. By grades 7-8, students need the information and skill to make healthy choices when it comes to their sexual health and well-being. Encourage parents and caregivers to help students build a deeper understanding of the factors that support healthy decision-making.

Sexual Health resources and supports are organized below following this framework.

Resources & Information for:

Resources

Lessons and Activities

  • WECHU - Jeopardy Game/Tips for Teaching Sexual Health:  This is an interactive game supports learning in a fun way. Available in French.
    Faciliator Guides are available in English and French.
  • OPHEA - A free online resource to support educators in implementing sexual health education curriculum (Grades 1-12). Register for a free account and access lesson plans, classroom activities, and professional teaching supports. Also accessible in French.
  • Teachingsexualhealth.ca - Teacher and parent portals providing evidence-based sexual health information, lesson plans, tools, videos, and resources including Kahoot activities. Resources are also available for differing abilities. This is an Alberta-hosted site and grade-specific curriculum links may need to be verified.  Search for resources by grade or topic. In addition, the educator can search for available lesson plans in French.
  • Toronto Public Health-Sexually Transmitted Infections: provides an interactive lesson plan that differentiates between sexually transmitted infections, diseases, and blood-borne illnesses (STBBIs). Discusses common infections, prevention, and treatment to support the development of informed decision-making.  
  • WECHU-Jeopardy: an interactive game to support fun and learning around sexual health meant for grades 7-8. Available in French.
  • OPHEA Healthy Schools Certification - Gives your school the tools to promote and enhance the health and well-being of students, school staff, and the broader school community. Contact your school nurse at 519-258-2146 x 1555 for more information on how they can support your school in achieving a Healthy Schools Certification.
  • Student council or student wellness council can actively participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.
  • OPHEA Ideas for Action- Growth and Development (French Version) - Can be used alone or with the OPHEA Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to start conversations about topics related to healthy growth and development in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, things to consider, sources of support in your community, in Ontario, and across Canada, and activity ideas in the following areas:

School Campaigns and Social Media

  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights offers several campaigns that promote sexual and reproductive health and rights.
  • School Wellness Bulletin Board - Use the school bulletin board to post various health messages throughout the year.
  • Wellness Wall - Create a research project for students to create a wellness wall listing local agencies available to support youth sexual health and wellness, and why this is important to their health. 
  • CATIE (Canada’s source for HIV and hepatitis C information) - World Aids Day: On December 1st create support on a wall/bulletin board to recognize World Aids Day.

Support in the Community

  • Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: Provides contact information related to sexual health, HIV and STI testing in Windsor-Essex County.
  • Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: For youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in mental health services, substance use and addiction services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations.
  • weCHC – Teen Health: Free and confidential primary care service and counselling for youth aged 12-24 years.
  • Pozitive Pathways: Provides client advocacy, support, harm reduction, health promotion and education services for people living with, affected by, or at-risk of HIV, Hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.

Additional Resources and Support

  • Kids Help Phone: 24/7 resource offering crisis support, mental health support, and counselling via text, messenger, or phone by calling 1-800-668-6868 or TEXT 686868. 
  • Every Body Curious: YouTube series about sexuality and healthy relationships for youth, ages 9-12. Each episode is guided by two expert hosts leading the respectful and authentic dialogue on sexual health, and guiding participants through fun and thought-provoking activities about specific topics including: sex, love, healthy relationships, and consent.
  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights - Sex Positive Parenting: addresses sex-positive parenting as ‘teaching in an age and developmentally appropriate ways – that learning about bodies, relationships, and eventually, sexuality is a natural, normal, and healthy part of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.’ Find resources to support sex-positive parenting, and access the Sexual Health Information Hub.
  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights - Young People: All Things Sexuality: Information on puberty, protecting yourself, healthy relationships, disability and sexuality, media literacy, consent, and more.

Support in the Community

  • Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: Provides contact information related to sexual health, HIV and STI testing in Windsor-Essex County.
  • Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: For youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in mental health services, substance use and addiction services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations.
  • weCHC – Teen Health: Free and confidential primary care service and counselling for youth aged 12-24 years.
  • Pozitive Pathways: Provides client advocacy, support, harm reduction, health promotion and education services for people living with, affected by, or at-risk of HIV, Hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.

Additional Resources and Support

  • Kids Help Phone: 24/7 resource offering crisis support, mental health support, and counselling via text, messenger, or phone by calling 1-800-668-6868 or TEXT 686868. 
  • Every Body Curious: YouTube series about sexuality and healthy relationships for youth, ages 9-12. Each episode is guided by two expert hosts leading the respectful and authentic dialogue on sexual health, and guiding participants through fun and thought-provoking activities about specific topics including: sex, love, healthy relationships, and consent.
  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights - Sex Positive Parenting: addresses sex-positive parenting as ‘teaching in an age and developmentally appropriate ways – that learning about bodies, relationships, and eventually, sexuality is a natural, normal, and healthy part of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.’ Find resources to support sex-positive parenting, and access the Sexual Health Information Hub.
  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights - Young People: All Things Sexuality: Information on puberty, protecting yourself, healthy relationships, disability and sexuality, media literacy, consent, and more.
  • Student council or student wellness council can actively participate in identifying school needs and activities to address those needs.
  • OPHEA Ideas for Action- Growth and Development (French Version) - Can be used alone or with the OPHEA Healthy School Certification process for education about healthy growth and development. This is a starting point to encourage students to start conversations about topics related to healthy growth and development in your school and community. This guide provides key information about existing programs and resources, tips for getting started, things to consider, sources of support in your community, in Ontario, and across Canada, and activity ideas in the following areas:

School Campaigns and Social Media

  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights offers several campaigns that promote sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Support in the Community

  • Windsor-Essex Youth Services Card: Provides contact information related to sexual health, HIV and STI testing in Windsor-Essex County.
  • Youth Wellness Hub Windsor-Essex: For youth aged 12-25 offering walk-in mental health services, substance use and addiction services, access to a Nurse Practitioner for primary care, and community social services. The Youth Wellness Hub also offers recreational activities and peer support. Services are available in Windsor and Leamington locations.
  • weCHC – Teen Health: Free and confidential primary care service and counselling for youth aged 12-24 years.
  • Pozitive Pathways: Provides client advocacy, support, harm reduction, health promotion and education services for people living with, affected by, or at-risk of HIV, Hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.

Additional Resources and Support

  • Kids Help Phone: 24/7 resource offering crisis support, mental health support, and counselling via text, messenger, or phone by calling 1-800-668-6868 or TEXT 686868. 
  • Every Body Curious: YouTube series about sexuality and healthy relationships for youth, ages 9-12. Each episode is guided by two expert hosts leading the respectful and authentic dialogue on sexual health, and guiding participants through fun and thought-provoking activities about specific topics including: sex, love, healthy relationships, and consent.
  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights - Sex Positive Parenting: addresses sex-positive parenting as ‘teaching in an age and developmentally appropriate ways – that learning about bodies, relationships, and eventually, sexuality is a natural, normal, and healthy part of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.’ Find resources to support sex-positive parenting, and access the Sexual Health Information Hub.
  • Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights - Young People: All Things Sexuality: Information on puberty, protecting yourself, healthy relationships, disability and sexuality, media literacy, consent, and more.
Source URL: https://www.wechu.org/school-health/human-development-sexual-health/sti

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