{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T07:58:59Z","timestamp":1774339139420,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,19]],"date-time":"2023-07-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1689724800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Adolescents"],"abstract":"<jats:p>(1) Background: In adolescence, the onset of physical signs of sexual maturity and early sexual contact have become increasingly common. However, most adolescents are not adequately prepared for this event, which can lead to significant negative consequences for young people. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge about sexuality during adolescence. (2) Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, and correlational design was used, with 289 students from a school in the northern region of Portugal. From an online questionnaire, sociodemographic information and the Sexuality Knowledge Questionnaire were used to collect data. (3) Results: Most adolescents (54.0%) were female and aged between 15 and 17 years, with an average knowledge score of 17.04. The worst results were found in the dimensions of first sexual intercourse and sexual concerns, with men scoring lower, and the dimension of sexually transmitted infections and HIV\/AIDS, where women performed better. The best scores were in the sexuality and sexual pleasure dimension, with women performing better, and the counseling and care in sexual and reproductive health dimension, where men performed better. (4) Conclusions: The approach to sexuality education must be constant throughout the life cycle, and it is essential to provide appropriate information to adolescents about issues related to sexuality.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/adolescents3030030","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,19]],"date-time":"2023-07-19T21:22:58Z","timestamp":1689801778000},"page":"431-445","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Knowledge about Sex Education in Adolescence: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"3","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2554-697X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Teresa","family":"Moreira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CINTESIS@RISE, Nursing School of Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Research, Innovation and Development Fernando Pessoa Foundation, 4200-253 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Elizabeth","family":"Rocha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Higher School of Health Fernando Pessoa, 4200-253 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7535-9040","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreia","family":"Lima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CINTESIS@RISE, Nursing School of Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Research, Innovation and Development Fernando Pessoa Foundation, 4200-253 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto (FMUP), 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"L\u00facia","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ACES Alto Ave, 4820-273 Fafe, Portugal"}]},{"given":"S\u00edlvia","family":"Rodrigues","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ACES Alto Ave, 4820-273 Fafe, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7251-5829","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla S\u00edlvia","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CINTESIS@RISE, Nursing School of Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Porto Higher School of Nursing, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.4103\/0974-1208.158594","article-title":"Understanding normal development of adolescent sexuality: A bumpy ride","volume":"8","author":"Kar","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. 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