Ophea 2013 Online Parent Consultation Survey May 2013

2 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 Research overview and methodology Research overview Ophea commissioned Environics Research Group to conduct a brief survey of Ontario parents about sexual health education. The following topics were covered: Support for health education and sexual health education in schools Self-assessed knowledge about sexual health Comfort level discussing sexual health with their child and with their child receiving sexual health information from various other sources Importance of various sexual health education topics in schools and of using updated curricula. Methodology The research involved an online survey conducted among 1,002 parents of children attending a publicly-funded elementary or secondary school in Ontario. Quotas were established for region to ensure the final sample was representative of the Ontario population. The survey was conducted from April 6 to 23, 2013 with qualifying members of online research panels. As Internet panels are non-probability samples, a margin of sampling error cannot be cited. In this report, results are expressed as percentages unless otherwise noted. Results may not add to 100% due to rounding or multiple responses. Subgroup differences are discussed only if they are statistically significant (at the 95% confidence level). Image courtesy of Naypong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 Almost nine in ten parents agree, close to half strongly, that sexual health education should be provided in schools Agreement that sexual health education should be provided in schools as one component of overall health education Q2 Do you agree or disagree that sexual health education should be provided in schools, as one component of overall health education? Support for sexual health education in schools is slightly lower than for health education generally, and yet the large majority (87%) of parents agree that it should be provided as one component of overall health education, with just under half (45%) in strong agreement. Strong support for sexual health education is most evident in the Eastern/Central parts of the province (53%), among parents with higher household incomes (53% with incomes of $100,000 or more), and those with older children (50% of those with kids in grades 9 to 12 and 47% with kids in grades 6 to 8). As expected, level of support for sexual health education in schools correlates with level of support for general health education in schools. However, strong support does not vary significantly by type of school board (public or separate).

4 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 Nine in ten parents are comfortable with their children receiving sexual health information from the school curriculum Level of comfort with child receiving sexual health information from school curriculum/teacher Q5a-i How comfortable are you with your [child/children] receiving sexual health information from each of the following sources? The large majority of parents are very comfortable (28%) or comfortable (62%) with the school curriculum as a source of sexual health information for their child; less than one in ten (8%) are uncomfortable with this source. Parents in the City of Toronto (37%) and in eastern/central parts of the province (33%) and mothers (31% vs. 25% of fathers) are the most likely to say they are very comfortable with their child receiving sexual health information from the school curriculum. Degree of comfort with the school curriculum as a source of this information does not vary significantly by school board (public or separate).

5 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 Level of comfort with sexual health information sources Q5a-i How comfortable are you with your [child/children] receiving sexual health information from each of the following sources? School curriculum is second only to parents themselves and medical professionals as the preferred source for children’s sexual health information When compared to other potential sources of sexual health information for their children, parents’ overall level of comfort with school curriculum (90%) is second only to parents themselves (96%) and doctors/nurses (96%). Three-quarters (74%) of parents are also comfortable with their children accessing sexual health information from reference books. By comparison, parents are much less comfortable with sexual health information access through novels (21%), the child’s friends and peers (14%), the Internet (13%), other media sources like TV and movies (13%) or social media (6%). Women are more likely than men to say they are very comfortable with all four top options (you/your partner, doctor/nurse, school curriculum and reference books) as a source of information for their child about sexual health. Parents with higher household incomes ($100K or more) are also more comfortable with themselves, health professionals and reference books as sources of this information than are parents with lower incomes. Degree of comfort with these various sources does not vary significantly by school board (public or separate).

6 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 Importance of sexual health education topics in schools Q8a-mHow important do you feel it is for students to learn about each of the following topics, at an appropriate age, as part of sexual health education in schools? Majorities of Ontario parents think all sexual health education topics should be addressed in schools Three-quarters or more of parents believe it is important for students to learn about each of the sexual health education topics presented in the survey. The highest importance is placed on students learning about self-esteem (76% say it is very important), sexually transmitted infections (75%), and communication (72%) and decision-making (71%) skills. Around six in ten think it very important that students learn about most other topics. Slightly less importance is placed on the topics of sexual orientation (42% very important) and media literacy (37%). Mothers place greater importance on all of these topics except STIs, which is deemed an equally important topic by men and women. Parents with higher household incomes (over $100K) place more importance on students learning about developmental changes, puberty, correct names for body parts and reproduction. Most of these topics are also considered more important by parents of children in the separate school system.

7 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 More than nine in ten Ontario parents say it is important for students to learn about sexual health from a more up-to-date curriculum Importance of students learning from a more up-to-date sexual health curriculum Q9Students in Ontario are currently learning about sexual health from a curriculum written years ago. How important do you believe it is for students to learn from a curriculum that is more up to date? Almost all parents believe students should be learning about sexual health education from a more up-to-date school curriculum. More than nine in ten say this is very important (67%) or important (26%); only seven percent say it is unimportant. Nine in ten or more in every region and population segment say a more current sexual health curriculum is important, with parents in eastern or central Ontario (73%), women (73%), those without a university degree (71%), and parents with children in the separate school system (73%) more likely to say this is very important. Moreover, even the very small group of parents who disagree with sexual health education being taught in schools nonetheless believe the curriculum should be updated (59% say this is very important or important vs. 41% not very or not at all important).

Profile

9 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 Profile of parents Education completed Sample % HS or less26 College25 Undergraduate34 Postgraduate15 Age Sample % < Gender Sample % Male49 Female51 Note: Data are weighted by gender and region Region Sample % City of Toronto21 Outer GTA24 Southwestern29 Eastern/Central20 Northern6 Household income Sample % Under $60,00016 $60,000 to <$100,00028 $100,000 to $150,00021 More than $150,00015 Prefer not to answer20

10 Ophea – Online Parent Consultation Survey – May 2013 Profile of students Board - Language Sample % English92 French8 *Adds to more than 100% due to multiple children per household # children in household Sample % Grade Sample %* JK/SK21 Grade Grade Grade Grade Board - Type Sample % Public70 Separate30

Sarah Roberton Senior Research Associate, Public Affairs Environics Research Group Ltd x 224