Changes in Melanopsin expression in the iris after corneal abrasion in an experimental rat model.

Adolescence is a critical period for the development of sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (Tolman & McClelland, ), and disparities emerging during this stage may contribute to longer-term inequalities in sexual health (Slurink et al., ; Vasilenko, ; Warzecha et al., ). Educational systems may shape such disparities, especially through educational tracking, in which students are separated into academic or vocational tracks (OECD, ). Several studies across European countries with tracked educational systems have shown that students in vocational tracks tend to report more sexual risk behavior and less sexual health knowledge than students in academic tracks (e.g., De Graaf et al., ; Di Gennaro et al., ; Häggström-Nordin et al., ; Patseadou et al., ; van Rossem et al., ). However, given the heterogeneity of the existing literature - in terms of national educational systems and dimensions of sexual health being studied - it is difficult to draw general conclusions about the association between educational track and adolescent sexual health. Clarifying whether these disparities are consistent across different contexts, and which aspects of sexual health are most strongly associated with educational track, is important for understanding the extent and nature of this relationship. A robust association would suggest systematic differences that warrant attention and potential intervention. Such insights could inform the development of more effective sexual health education and prevention strategies tailored to adolescents in different educational pathways, potentially reducing long-term social inequalities in sexual health (Vasilenko, ). This meta-analysis addresses gaps in the understanding of the relationship between educational track and adolescent sexual health, synthesizing studies from diverse national contexts and considering multiple dimensions of sexual health. Educational tracking refers to the process by which students are selected and placed into different educational tracks based on perceived ability, guiding subsequent transitions to further levels of education and work (Gogescu, ). Most studies assessing the association between educational track and adolescent sexual health have been conducted within a single national context and reflect the specific characteristics of that country’s educational system and sociocultural environment. Educational tracking systems, however, vary considerably across countries, which may affect the comparability of studies in this meta-analysis. Specifically, the age at which students are tracked and the number and nature of tracks differ across national contexts. In Europe, students typically enter secondary school between ages 10 and 12 and complete it by ages 16 to 19, although there is variation in the timing and length of secondary education across countries. In some countries, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, students are assigned to different educational tracks early, typically at the beginning of secondary school. In other countries, such as Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and the United Kingdom, students follow a comprehensive secondary education for a few years before they are tracked into distinct educational pathways. Furthermore, the number and nature of educational tracks also vary: some countries, such as Finland and Spain, provide only two main tracks—vocational and academic—while others, like France and Hungary, divide students into multiple pathways, including specialized technical, vocational, and academic tracks (OECD, ). These different educational tracks can still be broadly categorized as either vocational or academic, as they either prepare for further vocational education and training (VET), or lead to a university-entrance certificate with which students can proceed to higher education (OECD, ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, ). In order to maintain conceptual clarity and ensure cross-national comparability, the educational tracks in each study were categorized as vocational or academic based on available descriptions of the national educational systems and the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, ). An overview of the classification approach is provided in the supplementary materials. Sexual health is defined and operationalized in various ways in the literature (Hogben et al., ). For the purposes of this meta-analysis, the working definition of the World Health Organization is used, as it provides a comprehensive and widely adopted framework of sexual health (Douglas & Fenton, ; Vasconcelos et al., ). According to this definition, sexual health is a multidimensional concept; it is “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibil