Home-based sex education by parents and guardians of children at Korean primaryschools in Japan, and the need for school-based sex education

Abstract

Objective
This study aimed to clarify the status of implementation of sex education at home by parents and guardians of children attending Korean primary schools in Japan, and the requirements of in relation to school-based sex education
Method
Between June and November 2012, an anonymous 20-category written questionnaire survey was distributed to 289 parents and guardians of children attending Korean primary schools in Osaka and Kyoto.
Results
Among 289 questionnaires distributed to 8 schools, 49 responses were obtained, of which 45 were valid (valid response rate: 15.6%). Forty-two respondents (93.4%) answered that sex education at home was “Necessary”. Seventeen respondents (37.7%) stated they were implementing sex education at home, whereas 27 (60.1%) answered they were not. Among the 17 respondents who were implementing sex education at home, 8 (47.0%) started when their children were in the fourth grade, and 12 (70.6%) stated the topic of sex education was about “the difference between male and female bodies.” All 45 respondents answered that they believed school-based sex education was “necessary.” Most respondents (42, 93.3%) expressed a desire for sex education to be implemented by an outside teacher (nurse, health worker or midwife).
Conclusions
Although many parents considered home-based sex education necessary, few were actually implementing it, and as such school-based sex education plays an extremely important role for children. Furthermore, because Korean primary schools are required to use outside medical professionals to deliver sex education, medical professionals from within the community of Koreans living in Japan can be expected to play a significant role in this theme.