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Educational Differences in Sexual Health among Adolescents in Europe: A Meta-Analysis
Pascalle Heijligenberg1, Margreet E de Looze2, Marlies Maes2
1Department of Work and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands. pascalle.heijligenberg@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|June 8, 2026
Summary
Adolescents in vocational education tracks in Europe show poorer sexual health outcomes compared to academic tracks. This includes less knowledge, earlier sexual activity, and higher pregnancy rates, highlighting significant educational disparities.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Education
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- European educational systems often feature stratified trajectories, separating adolescents into vocational and academic tracks.
- Previous studies indicate educational differences in adolescent sexual health, but findings are inconsistent due to varying national systems and sexual health dimensions studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize existing evidence on educational track differences in adolescent sexual health across Europe.
- To investigate how these differences vary by sexual health subdomain and study/sample characteristics.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was conducted, including 47 studies with 159 effect sizes and 177,169 adolescents (mean age 16.59).
- Moderator analyses examined variations based on sexual health domain, study quality, and participant demographics (gender, ethnicity, migration background).
Main Results:
- A significant association exists between educational track and adolescent sexual health (effect size g = 0.279).
- Vocational track adolescents demonstrated lower sexual knowledge, earlier sexual initiation, and higher teenage pregnancy rates compared to academic track peers.
- The association was stronger in studies with predominantly non-migrant participants and varied significantly across sexual health subdomains.
Conclusions:
- Educational track is a significant determinant of adolescent sexual health in Europe, with vocational students facing greater risks.
- High heterogeneity across studies underscores the complexity of this relationship, necessitating cautious interpretation and targeted interventions.
- Findings highlight the need for tailored sexual health education and support programs addressing disparities linked to educational pathways.
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