University

McGill relaunches sexual health website

University’s health services program hopes to fight misinformation by reaching students where they are

McGill recently relaunched a website where students can ask sexual health questions anonymously.

The health promotion co-ordinator for the university’s student health services, Amanda Unruh, told the McGill Reporter (the administration newsletter) that “most students get their sexual health information from their peers… and that isn’t always a good thing.”

According to Unruh, when it comes to sexual health misinformation is a major problem. The website hopes to provide students with an easy way to get accurate information.

“Youth spend the majority of their time online. It’s how they get their information,” Unruh told the Reporter. “It made sense to impart messages and information this way – particularly with sexual health. People can go online in the comfort of their own homes and get solid information from health professionals on subjects that aren’t always easy to talk about.”

Answers to common questions, including some general health questions, have been posted on the site.

It wouldn’t surprise me if there are other universities with similar sites, but those that don’t could definitely do well to emulate this model of reaching students where they are, especially when it comes to potentially awkward and embarrassing subjects like sexual health.

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