Award-winning RCSI programme combating sexual health misinformation

The ‘Debunking the myths’ initiative connects students with trusted medical experts, fostering open dialogue, and informed choices

Ahead of the 2025/6 academic year, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology is celebrating the notable success of its outreach programme: ‘Debunking the myths: The science behind our sexual health’.

The initiative has directly confronted misinformation and delivered evidence-based sexual health education to over 17,700 Irish students across 166 schools in 26 counties to date. Commenting on the programme, one teacher said she was “blown away”.

“The kids knew there was no silly answer. They felt comfortable because of the anonymity… I think every school, if they got the chance, should bring every single student in senior cycle to ‘Debunking the myths’. It really opened kids up to have conversations that I know they wouldn’t have had without the lectures.”

The programme benefits from the expertise of 52 dedicated professionals, including medical experts, academics, and science communicators from the RCSI Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and beyond. Its primary objective is to empower young people, their parents, and teachers to navigate sexual health with confidence and clarity.

The initiative connects students directly with trusted medical experts, breaks down taboos, promotes open discussion, and equips the young person with accurate information and the ability to make informed choices.

“We are witnessing a concerning trend where teenagers are increasingly turning to social media for sexual health information, often encountering misleading or harmful content,” said Prof Fergal Malone, Head of the RCSI Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and co-lead of the initiative.

“Our programme works alongside the RSE (relationships and sexuality education) curriculum to directly counter misinformation by connecting young people with credible, multidisciplinary medical experts. The overwhelming engagement and positive feedback from students, teachers, and parents demonstrates a clear hunger for accurate, unbiased information.”

Key achievements and impact:

• Reach: The programme has delivered 30 in-person workshops to 3,720 students and six online workshops to 13,988 students, reaching a total of 17,708 students.
• Nationwide access: Workshops have been conducted in 166 schools across 26 counties, including 125 mixed schools, 30 all-girls schools, and 11 all-boys schools.
• Equitable access: A core focus on inclusivity has seen the programme reach 33 DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) schools and 29 Youthreach centres, ensuring that vulnerable and underserved communities also benefit.
• Positive endorsement: A survey of 181 secondary school teachers who attended workshops revealed:
  – 93 per cent found the workshops beneficial;
  – 98 per cent deemed the topics suitable for their students;
  – 83 per cent intend to re-attend, and 93 per cent would recommend the workshop to colleagues;
• Student-centric approach: Regular focus groups to ensure the programme remains relevant and responsive to student needs. The 2,936 questions asked by students anonymously during workshops highlight a safe and engaging environment that fosters genuine curiosity and open dialogue.

The success of ‘Debunking the myths’ has been recognised with significant accolades, including the Best Education Outreach Programme at the Education Awards 2025 in May and the Best Education Innovation Programme at the International Education Forum in June 2025.

Speaking to Nursing in Practice Ireland, Clinical Nurse Specialist Christine Pucillo, Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU), The Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, said: “Our involvement in the ‘Debunking the myths’ programme has been both professionally rewarding and impactful. Its far-reaching approach, delivered through both technology platforms and in-person sessions, makes it accessible to diverse audiences, particularly teenagers.

“The content is invaluable – fact-based, current, and carefully tailored to engage young people, offering clarity and confidence on subjects around sexual health, bodily autonomy, and consent that are too often left unspoken.

“For us in the SATU, it provides an important avenue for service awareness with a key demographic, while working within a multidisciplinary team is diverse and dynamic for us as well. This initiative is an ideal tool for making evidence-based information both meaningful and accessible.”

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