Rosa Portillo is looking forward to her graduation at the end of this semester with a degree in health promotion, and this Friday she will be presenting her findings in her recent sexuality study carried out on campus. Portillo surveyed 100 students on campus to find out their types of sexual education during previous schooling, as well as information about current sexual activity.

“I wanted to find out whether the type of education students received as adolescents, as well as their education level, played a role in their behaviors,” Portillo said.

Portillo’s study was exclusive to WSU students and consisted of individuals from all class levels, from freshmen to graduating seniors.  Portillo, who has lived in Clearfield most of her life and is originally from California, conducted this particular study as a result of her continuing interest in the topics of human sexuality and sexual education, and how together they influence an individual’s sexual behaviors.

“I wanted to gain an understanding of how educated the population on campus was in these areas to determine the effects,” Portillo said.

More than half of Portillo’s surveyed population reported previous comprehensive sexual education that included detailed information about contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases and abstinence. Six percent of Portillo’s study pool reported no formal sexual education, and 33 percent reported education consisting only of abstinence strategies. The findings of the volunteer survey appear to be inconclusive as to a connection between levels of education and sexual activity among WSU students. Results of a relationship between sexual education and sexual activity do appear to have a strong correlation, however.