Fedor Spirig

Discussion

Talking about STIs with minors

Mr. Spirig explained that we are generally allowed to talk with individuals under 18 about our project, specifically about STIs. According to the consensus on sexual rights in Switzerland, it is both allowed and encouraged that teenagers are familiar with sexual health. This is also reflected in the curriculum for secondary schools: from around age 14, students should be introduced to sexuality and sexual health, including protection against pregnancy and STIs, and have access to this knowledge. Mr. Spirig emphasized that this approach can be transferred from lower secondary schools to high schools.

However, he advised against presenting our project in lower secondary classes, as it could go over the students’ heads due to their age. For high schools, specifically for students just under 18 in the upper classes, he confirmed it would be absolutely fine. He also noted that it is not the first time students encounter such topics.

When asked whether we need to pay attention to anything specific when speaking with teenagers, Mr. Spirig recommended thorough preparation. In general, he stated, we could not go wrong: we are not discussing explicit sexual practices nor showing images that violate youth protection laws.

He emphasized two aspects of preparation for school visits:

1. Knowledge about STIs: We need to convey clear and accurate information, including awareness of STI testing options and relevant support services. Since we present our test, it is important to be informed about current testing possibilities.
2. Handling questions: Students may ask more personal or explicit questions about sexuality, sexual practices, or experiences. It is essential to be mentally prepared for such questions.

Mr. Spirig also stressed the importance of speaking openly with teachers beforehand to assess how much the students already know and what gaps exist. This allows us to meet students at the right level and provide meaningful information.

Content of our Product

Mr. Spirig noted that we need to carefully consider who our target group is. He explained that it could be too much for teenagers to take such a test, so he suggested that our main target group should be young adults, ideally above 20. If we still aim to reach teenagers, he recommended considering popular channels for them (e.g., TikTok) and thinking about how to guide them effectively to our content.

He emphasized that when addressing younger people, extra care should be taken to keep texts concise and avoid overwhelming them, even though longer, more detailed content may still be relevant for adults. Apart from that, he noted, there is no additional adjustment needed compared to content for adults. He confirmed the advice from health psychologist Dr. Bierbauer regarding video-based test instructions and stressed that we would need clear information on STIs as well as direct guidance on who to contact after a test result.

Mr. Spirig also recommended referring to a range of support services, not only doctors (e.g., Spiz for youth, Checkpoint for queer individuals), to ensure that all users can access the help they might need. He stressed that especially for young people, it is important to emphasize that these support services, as well as doctors, are available to answer questions and provide guidance.

Main Takeaways

1. School visits
   • Coordinate with teachers to understand students’ prior knowledge.
   • Prepare for potential questions about sexuality, sexual practices, or personal experiences.
2. Product / test
   • Confirmed advice from health psychologist regarding test instructions and supporting material: use simple language, ensure the test is easy to use, and provide clear guidance for after receiving results.
   • For outreach to teens (if they are defined as a target group), consider popular channels such as TikTok.

Integration

His input provided critical insights for our school visits as well as our social media awareness campaign.