Aboriginal young people’s perspectives and experiences of accessing sexual health services and sex education in Australia: A qualitative study

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) young people seek information and access health services for their sexual health needs. This study examined Aboriginal young people’s perspectives on sexual health services and sex education in Australia. Overall, 51 Aboriginal people aged 16–26 years were interviewed by peer researchers in Sydney, Australia in 2019–2020. The findings suggest that the internet was used to assess information quickly and confidentially, but Aboriginal young people questioned its reliability and accuracy. Family, Elders and peers were seen as sources of advice because they had real-life experience and highlighted intergenerational learning that occurs in Aboriginal communities. School-based sex education programmes had mixed reviews, with a preference for programmes delivered by external specialists providing anonymity, clear and accurate information about sex and relationships and positive approaches to sex education, including how to gain consent before sex. There was a need identified for school-based programmes to better consider the needs of Aboriginal young people, including those who identified as LGBTQI +. Aboriginal Medical Services were highly valued for providing culturally safe access to services, while sexual health clinics were valued for providing specialised confidential clinical services with low levels of judgement

Between a rock and a hard place: combined effect of trampling and phototrophic shell-degrading endoliths in marine intertidal mussels

Ecosystems often face a complex combination of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. The assessment of anthropogenic pressures and co-occurring natural stressors is crucial to our understanding of ecosystem structures, dynamics and their conservation. The present study provides the first experimental assessment of the combined effects of trampling (anthropogenic stressor) and endolithic induced erosion (natural stressor) on two coexisting intertidal mussel species, Mytilus galloprovincialis (de Lamarck, 1819) and Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758). Mixed beds of the two species experiencing a wide range of endolithic parasitation were exposed to increasing intensities of human trampling. Our results clearly show that endolith-infested mussels are more vulnerable to trampling than non-infested individuals. At high trampling intensities, P. perna suffered significantly lower mortalities rates than M. galloprovincialis. More than 20% of large, infested M. galloprovincialis individuals were crushed even at low trampling intensities. Unexpectedly, mortalities rates decreased with mussel size, suggesting a sheltering role of larger conspecifics. Beyond ecological interest, such findings can provide critical experimental support for conservation and management actions.Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT-MEC, Portugal) [UID/Multi/04326/2013, IF/01413/2014/CP1217/CT0004]South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) of Department of Science and Technology (DST)National Research Foundation (NRF