Research

fpa commissions and contributes to a range of research on sexual health. Visit our shop  to see the full range of reports for sale.

Are you ready? Young people’s views of sex and relationships

Young people and sex: a topic that seems to dominate the agenda of the media and politicians alike. Yet the voices of young people themselves are seldom heard. Are you ready? provides up-to-date information about young people's views of sex and relationships, and, together with existing evidence, allows us to draw some strong conclusions about how best to meet the needs of young people.

View Are you ready? free or purchase Are you ready? from our shop.

The economics of sexual health

In 2003, fpa commissioned research into the economics of sexual health in England, focusing on contraception and abortion services. The research aimed to model the economic impact of changes in sexual health services. Published in 2005, The economics of sexual health showed that it is feasible to improve contraception and abortion services to better meet the needs of service users as well as making considerable savings for the NHS of up to £1billion over 15 years.

View the 2005 report The economics of sexual health free or purchase The economics of sexual health findings from our shop.

fpa: past, present and future

To mark fpa’s 75th anniversary in 2005, we commissioned some qualitative and quantitative research to explore how people perceived the changes that had taken place in the nature of families, relationships and sex over the course of fpa’s history. The research showed that positive changes included:

•  more equality between men and women
• greater freedom and opportunity for young people to make their own choices in life
• an acceptance of a wider range of relationships, family structures and behaviours.

However, people believed there is still more to be done to ensure that everyone enjoys sexual health. This report provides an illuminating insight into the changes that took place during fpa’s first 75 years and the challenges for the next 75.

View fpa: past, present and future.

Misconceptions: Women's attitudes to planning and preventing pregnancy

fpa set out through this research to explore the real life relevance of ideas such as 'intended' and 'unintended' in relation to becoming pregnant. This work has implications for government policy, sexual health and sex and relationships education strategies, and the day-to-day work of health and social care professionals.

View Misconceptions.