Boundaries of sexual communication: a mixed-method study exploring Chinese young adults’ engagement with online sexual health information

Sexual Health ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingwen Zhang ◽  
Chloe Nurik ◽  
John B. Jemmott
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Sexual Communication ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Chinese Young Adults

Background: Although previous research suggests that a majority of Chinese young adults get sexual health information through the Internet, the details of this process and how it translates into subsequent actions are unknown. This study aims to understand the dynamic nature of Chinese young adults’ engagement with online sexual health information (OSHI) through various communication channels to inform the development of effective sexual health intervention strategies. Methods: A mixed-method approach was used, involving individual semi-structured interviews (n = 30) and cross-sectional online surveys (n = 561) with Chinese young adults aged 18 to 25 years. Qualitative themes and prevalence and predictors of engagement with OSHI were analysed. Results: Three themes emerged from the interviews: (1) problem-based searching; (2) multi-criteria evaluation; and (3) stigma of online sharing and discussion. After engaging with OSHI, 87.3% of the survey participants followed online advice on at least one occasion, and 54.9% discussed this information with others (mostly with partners and friends) offline. Having sexual intercourse in the past 3 months was a consistent predictor of engagement with OSHI (P < 0.05). Contrary to previous findings, participants with higher family income were more likely to engage with OSHI (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Chinese young adults obtain sexual health information from online sources when personal problems arise and then circulate this information offline within their peer networks. Although social media interventions have shown some promise, researchers should first increase risk awareness and be cautious about designing programs that promote online sharing or discussion. Finally, researchers need to make extra effort to target young adults with limited resources.

Sexual Experiences and Perspectives of Adolescents and Young Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 074355842110282
Author(s):  
Elizabeth K. Schmidt ◽  
Megan Dougherty ◽  
Natalie Robek ◽  
Lindy Weaver ◽  
Amy R. Darragh
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Sexual Education ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Sexual Experiences ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Sexual Health Information

The purpose of this study is to understand the sexual experiences and perspectives of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with intellectual or developmental disabilities, how they are receiving sexual education, and how sexual education can be tailored to their needs. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured focus groups and interviews with eight AYA with intellectual or developmental disabilities from January 14 to May 7, 2019. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Participants reported a diverse range of sexual experiences and an interest in marriage and parenting in the future. Two themes emerged for how AYA are learning about sexual health information: through formal (school, doctors’ visits, or from caregivers) and informal education (peers, siblings, self-exploration, or Pop Culture). Sexual education can be tailored to this population by addressing educational gaps (pregnancy, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, intimacy, and sexual activity) and by implementing specific participant recommendations (proactive, inclusive education with real-life examples). With a growing emphasis on disability rights to sexual education among individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, it is vital to understand AYA’s experiences, perspectives, and current understanding of sexual health information so that we can design a program specifically tailored to meet their unique needs.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Sexual Health Behaviors of Black Male Adolescents and Young Adults Through Social Media Platforms: Web-Based Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jade Burns ◽  
Keith Johnstone ◽  
Tanaka Chavanduka ◽  
Cornelius Jamison ◽  
Valery Pena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Black Male ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Male Adolescents ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Social Media Platforms

BACKGROUND Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which have millions of users who interact and communicate every day, have been effective in promoting sexual health interventions and in disseminating reproductive health education. They have also been shown to be useful in health promotion and have been used to track several key metrics (eg, comments, posts) among users of all demographics. However, there is a lack of research on the impact and reach of these social media platforms as a community-based tool for disseminating sexual health information and for increasing engagement among Black adolescents and young adults, which is a targeted high-risk population. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the social media platforms and banner advertisements that affected engagement among Black male adolescents and young adults in participating in web-based health surveys. METHODS A web-based survey was conducted from March 2019 to July 2019 to assess sexual health and health behaviors in a convenience sample of Black male adolescents and young adults in the age range of 18-24 years (N=170). Social media metrics from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were monitored. This cross-sectional survey comprised several categories, including basic personal information, drug-related risk behaviors, health care, sexual reproductive health questions, attitudes, norms, and perceived control, mental health, violence-related risk behaviors, and social media preferences. RESULTS Social media advertisements on the Black Male Opinion survey reached approximately 146,412 individuals. Our primary finding of the web-based survey engagement was that referral (eg, group chat, indirect social media sharing) led to as the greatest proportion of recruitment, with Twitter and YouTube as the preferred sites to receive sexual health information. CONCLUSIONS Recognizing the variety of technologies being used among Black male young adults and adolescents can help the community, researchers, and health care providers understand the web-based engagement of this high-risk population. This information may also promote culturally sensitive, customized marketing on sexual health information for this population.

scholarly journals Co-locating art and health: engaging civil society to create an enabling environment to respond to HIV in Indonesia

Sexual Health ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamee Newland ◽  
Dwi Lestari ◽  
Mashoeroel Noor Poedjanadi ◽  
Angela Kelly-Hanku
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Interactive Engagement ◽  
Stigma And Discrimination ◽  
Health Project ◽  
Shared Understandings

Background This paper will report on the successful co-location of a community-based arts and sexual health project that aimed to engage, educate and create testing, treatment and care pathways at a co-located mobile sexual health clinic and community-controlled art gallery in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Methods: Mixed methods were used to evaluate the project, including a visitor (n = 1181) and artist (n = 85) log book, a convenience audience survey (n = 231), and qualitative semi-structured interviews (n = 13) with artists and audience to explore the effect of arts-based activities on access to sexual health information and services, and stigma and discrimination. Results: In total, 85 artists curated five separate exhibitions that were attended by 1181 people, of which 62% were aged ≤24 years. Gallery attendance improved awareness and participatory and interactive engagement with sexual health information through a medium described as interesting, fun, cool, and unique. The co-located clinic facilitated informal pathways to sexual health services, including HIV/AIDS testing, treatment, and care. Importantly, the project created shared understandings and empathy that challenged stereotypes and myths, reducing stigmatising beliefs and practices. Conclusions: Arts-based programs are transformative and can be effectively implemented, replicated and scaled up in low-resource settings to create awareness and initiate for HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care. Art-based health programs engages people in their communities, mobilises civil society, builds enabling environments to reduce stigma and discrimination and improves access to testing and prevention; essential features needed to end AIDS in Indonesia (and the Southeast Asia region) while improving the lives of those most vulnerable to infection.

Parent-Adolescent Sexual Communication in India: Responses of Middle Class Parents

2020 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2093034
Author(s):  
E. Sandra Byers ◽  
Lucia F. O’Sullivan ◽  
Koumari Mitra ◽  
Heather A. Sears
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Sexual Communication ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Mothers And Fathers ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
General Terms ◽  
History Of

Parents are an important source of sexual health information for adolescents, and quality parent–adolescent sexual communication has been linked to positive sexual health outcomes. We sought to enhance the limited information about parent–adolescent sexual communication in India. The participants were 78 mothers and 91 fathers of adolescents ages 12–19 years. Both mothers and fathers reported limited past sexual communication, on average having talked to their child in general terms only and only a few times, although communication was somewhat better when the sex of the parent and adolescent were congruent. Only half of the parents had strong intentions to engage in these conversations during the following year. Parents’ reports and multiple regression analyses identified parents’ attitudes, knowledge, comfort, and history of sexual communication with their own parents as key factors in limiting parent–adolescent sexual communication engagement and intentions. A number of strategies to enhance parent-adolescent sexual communication are discussed.

Dr Google, porn and friend-of-a-friend: where are young men really getting their sexual health information?

Sexual Health ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Litras ◽  
Sarah Latreille ◽  
Meredith Temple-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Sexual Health Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
School Based ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections

Background Young men are vulnerable when it comes to sexual health. They attend the general practitioner (GP) less often than females and are less likely to be offered testing for sexually transmissible infections. Access to accurate health information and education is a cornerstone of primary prevention, yet we know very little about how, where and why young people obtain information about sexual health. Methods: One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 male students aged 16–19 years from two Victorian educational institutions for trade skills until data saturation was reached. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: The young men were poorly informed about sexual health. Their existing knowledge mainly came from school-based sexual health education, which while valued, was generally poorly recalled and provided only a narrow scope of physiological information. Young men seek sexual health information from various sources including family, the Internet, friends and pornography, with information from the latter three sources perceived as unreliable. GPs were seen as a source of trust-worthy information but were not accessed for this purpose due to embarrassment. Young men preferred the GP to initiate such conversations. A desire for privacy and avoidance of embarrassment heavily influenced young men’s preferences and behaviours in relation to sexual health information seeking. Conclusions: The current available sources of sexual health information for young men are failing to meet their needs. Results identify potential improvements to school-based sexual education and online resources, and describe a need for innovative technology-based sources of sexual health education.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Sexual Health Behaviors of Black Male Adolescents and Young Adults Through Social Media Platforms: Web-Based Survey Study

10.2196/19219 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. e19219
Author(s):  
Jade Burns ◽  
Keith Johnstone ◽  
Tanaka Chavanduka ◽  
Cornelius Jamison ◽  
Valery Pena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Black Male ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Male Adolescents ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Background Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which have millions of users who interact and communicate every day, have been effective in promoting sexual health interventions and in disseminating reproductive health education. They have also been shown to be useful in health promotion and have been used to track several key metrics (eg, comments, posts) among users of all demographics. However, there is a lack of research on the impact and reach of these social media platforms as a community-based tool for disseminating sexual health information and for increasing engagement among Black adolescents and young adults, which is a targeted high-risk population. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the social media platforms and banner advertisements that affected engagement among Black male adolescents and young adults in participating in web-based health surveys. Methods A web-based survey was conducted from March 2019 to July 2019 to assess sexual health and health behaviors in a convenience sample of Black male adolescents and young adults in the age range of 18-24 years (N=170). Social media metrics from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were monitored. This cross-sectional survey comprised several categories, including basic personal information, drug-related risk behaviors, health care, sexual reproductive health questions, attitudes, norms, and perceived control, mental health, violence-related risk behaviors, and social media preferences. Results Social media advertisements on the Black Male Opinion survey reached approximately 146,412 individuals. Our primary finding of the web-based survey engagement was that referral (eg, group chat, indirect social media sharing) led to as the greatest proportion of recruitment, with Twitter and YouTube as the preferred sites to receive sexual health information. Conclusions Recognizing the variety of technologies being used among Black male young adults and adolescents can help the community, researchers, and health care providers understand the web-based engagement of this high-risk population. This information may also promote culturally sensitive, customized marketing on sexual health information for this population.

scholarly journals Where and how do young People Like to Get their Sexual and Reproductive Health Information? Experiences from Students in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania: A Cross-sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruby Doryn Mcharo ◽  
Philippe Mayaud ◽  
Sia Emmanueli Msuya
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual Experience ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Learning Institutions

Abstract Background Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among young adults in developing countries is still a major public health concern. Early school-based sexuality education programs and sexual health information sharing between teachers, parents and young people have been considered protective against sexual health risks that young people are prone to. There is limited information on preferred choices of “where” and “how” young people like to get their SRH information. Here, we describe what young people prefer to learn with regard to sexual matters, where and who they prefer to learn from, and their experiences of parent-child sexuality communication. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study, conducted from March 2019 to January 2020 among students aged 18-24 years attending Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) within Mbeya. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on SRH education, ability to discuss sexual matters with a parent/guardian, and SRH information gap during early sexual experience. ResultsOut of 504 students that were enrolled, 377 (74.8%) reported to be sexually active with mean age at sexual debut of 18.4 years. Six out of ten students found it difficult to discuss or did not discuss sexual matters with a parent/guardian while growing up at age 12-18 years. Majority learnt about SRH matters from peers (30%) and lessons at schools (23%). We found a gender-biased preference on sexual matters discussions, such that female and male participants preferred discussions with female adults and male adults, respectively. Peers (18%), Media (17%) and schools (13%) were preferred sources of SRH information. On recalling first sexual experience, participants felt they needed to know more about sexual feelings, emotions and relationships (26.9%), safer sex (13.8%), how to be able to say 'No' (10.5%) and how to use a condom correctly (10.2%). ConclusionYoung people have a gender-biased preference when it comes to learning about SRH matters from their parents; however, such conversations seldom occur. Community health IEC should incorporate the agenda on building skills of parents on parent-child communication on sexual matters so as to empower them to confidently initiate and convey appropriate and sufficient sexual health information. Comprehensive SRH education and skills building is needed in the current school SRH curriculum in order need to meet the demand and needs of students’ and teachers’.

The use of technology to find sexual health information online among men who have sex with men in Hanoi, Vietnam, 2016

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 505-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minh X Nguyen ◽  
Aparna Krishnan ◽  
Giang M Le ◽  
Quynh T Nguyen ◽  
Nia M Bhadra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Prevalence Ratio ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sti Prevention ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Sex With Men

In an era where mobile phones and computers are ubiquitous, technology-based interventions to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have great potential to reach high-risk groups, including men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aimed to examine technology usage to find sexual health information online among MSM in Hanoi, Vietnam. A cross-sectional study of 205 MSM in Hanoi was conducted from February to May 2016. Overall, 50.7% of participants reported having used a smartphone, computer, or tablet to find HIV/STI testing locations in the past year, and 75.1% reported having used such devices to find other HIV/STI information online. Unemployment (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.13, 95%CI: 1.00–1.28) and having been tested for HIV (aPR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.07–1.51) were significantly associated with using technology to find online sexual health information. MSM who had ever exchanged sex for money or drugs (aPR: 0.80; 95%CI: 0.68–0.94) were less likely to use technology to find sexual health information online. Technology is a promising platform for HIV/STI prevention programs among MSM, with the potential to reach different subgroups. Further efforts to develop technology-based interventions tailored to the needs of the MSM communities in Hanoi and to encourage MSM who were not currently seeking sexual health information and testing services online to do so are necessary.

scholarly journals S07.5 Sociocultural context and sexual health information among adolescents and young adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 91 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. A15.2-A15
Author(s):  
JS Leichliter ◽  
R Cramer ◽  
A Bodas LaPollo ◽  
S Hexem ◽  
HW Chesson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Sociocultural Context ◽  
Sexual Health Information
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