This study investigated the role that emotional factors play in learning about sexual health and in adopting sexually healthy behaviors. Learning about health and adopting healthy behaviors hinges on two variables: the desire to avoid illness and a belief that one can avoid threats to health through personal action. This paper reports on individual differences which influence learning about sexual health. Erotophobia, or a negative affective response to sexuality, has been shown to inhibit sexual health, including birth control and sexually transmitted disease (STD) preventive techniques. An experimental-control group design was used to test the effect of erotophobia both on learning about STDs and subsequent perceptions of vulnerability to STDs. College students who were high in erotophobia gained less information and perceived themselves to be less vulnerable to STDs at posttest than did subjects low in erotophobia. According to these findings, it is vital for educators to gauge the emotional reactions of students to sexual health education prior to instruction to avoid increasing denial of sexual health risk. Sex health education, like all educational efforts, needs to be targeted to specific audiences. (LL)