Since the relationship between HIV prevention and sexual health promotion is often hidden in the way the terms are used (rather than any fixed, generally agreed definitions) a few recent examples have been chosen to demonstrate this range:

• Sexual health promotion is used as an umbrella term to describe any intervention which aims to: promote sexual well–being; prevent HIV, other STDs, unwanted pregnancy. (French and George 1994).
• Sexual health promotion is a key area in this strategy and will include health education, prevention programmes and health protection – advocating and where possible organising to improve the context and situations which affect health – e.g. legislation and policy re sex education. (Sheffield Health Authority & Sheffield Family Health Services Authority 1993)
• Rewarding personal and sexual relationships promote health and well-being. However, sexual activity can also have undesired results such as unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)(Department of Health 1992).
• When one considers that HIV is only the most serious of a range of sexually transmissible agents, including several viruses which are as yet incurable, and that even curable infections such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis continue to take their toll of pain, infertility and human misery, it is apparent that the significance of sexual behaviour for the public health extends well beyond prevention of AIDS, and that purely treatment–oriented approaches hold no solution to the problem. (Curtis 1992)
• Sexual health describes the effects that sexuality can have upon health, and that health can have upon sexuality. (Gordon 1994).

Reading through these examples, a wide variety of definitions can be assumed. However, all of these quotations suggest a particular definition of health (from individual disease prevention to a social definition) and a particular view of sex (for example, from those which see sex as a problem to those which are more sex affirming).

How people use these terms is therefore very important. If a case can be made for a preferred range of activities and services as the 'right' approach to sexual health promotion, emphasising their specific focus, like family planning or a political ideology, it has the power to justify spending limited funds on this approach.