Our Mission

We generate, support, and disseminate research that improves understanding of the diverse factors affecting sexual and reproductive health equity.

Protecting and celebrating the sexual and reproductive health of vulnerable populations is critically important to upholding human rights and public health, both in our local communities and across global settings. We believe that all people should have access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health care, have the right to decide when and if they have children, and are able to have a safe, satisfying sex life.

Our Research

Conducting rigorous research, we investigate  the underlying causes of sexual and reproductive health disparities.

Our research foci  include modifying social environments to improve access to health services preventing infectious diseases among at-risk populations, people of color, and LGBTQ+ communities; promoting reproductive and sexual health after cancer; understanding and improving partner communication and relationship dynamics; preventing unintended pregnancy; and evaluating access to contraceptive and abortion services

Goals

To fulfill our mission, we pursue four major goals.

Generate

To generate research on sexual and reproductive health with a particular focus on the needs of those whose access to health services or other societal benefits may be impeded by their social and economic circumstances, or because of discrimination based on characteristics such as age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, race, and/or ethnicity.

Disseminate

To disseminate research findings to (a) inform and encourage scientific inquiry; (b) promote the development of sound policy, programs, and practice; and (c) enlighten public debate on sexual and reproductive health issues.

Collaborate

To develop collaborative relationships with academic researchers, community organizations, service providers, and other stakeholders in order to enhance the multidisciplinary nature of our work and promote the visibility of our research and the consortium.

Reputation

To enhance the reputation of OSU’s College of Health and gain national recognition for our research on and contributions to the advancement of sexual and reproductive health.