Online STI information seeking behaviour and condom use intentions among young Facebook users in Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 1116-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharina Mahavera Mohamad Shakir ◽  
Li Ping Wong ◽  
Khatijah Lim Abdullah ◽  
Phillipe Adam
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Transmitted Infection ◽  
Sti Prevention ◽  
Sexual Health Information

Abstract The Internet has opened pathways for youth to find sexual health information which was not easily available to them in the past. Studies have shown that seeking sexual health information online may potentially influence an individuals’ decision-making to change their sexual health behaviours. However, there is a gap in research on the associations of seeking online sexually transmitted infection (STI) information with STI prevention among young people, particularly in Malaysia. This study investigated the associations of seeking STI information online with the intentions of condom use among young adult online users in Malaysia. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Malaysian youth aged 18–25 years old who were recruited through Facebook. In total, 1530 respondents completed the survey, identifying 874 respondents who had sought STI information online. The majority of respondents had intentions to use condoms as protection against STI. Respondents who sought online STI information were significantly more likely to have the intention to use condoms compared to respondents who did not seek online STI information (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.01–1.76, p = 0.040). Online STI information has the potential to increase access to STI information among young online users in Malaysia amid the stigma surrounding sex-related issues. Providing accurate STI information online from reliable sources may equip young people who have Internet access with awareness of sexual health protective behaviours such as condom use. It is recommended to facilitate Internet access to reach sectors of the population that currently do not have access, as the Internet is useful in STI prevention.

scholarly journals What are the barriers and challenges faced by adolescents when searching for sexual health information on the internet? Implications for policy and practice from a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 462-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Patricia Patterson ◽  
Shona Hilton ◽  
Paul Flowers ◽  
Lisa M McDaid
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Barriers And Challenges

ObjectivesAs sexual health information is increasingly presented digitally, and adolescents are increasingly seeking sexual health information on the internet, it is important to explore the challenges presented by this developing source of information provision. This study examined the key barriers and challenges faced by young people when accessing and using sexual health information online.MethodsA novel qualitative approach was used which combined paired interviews with real-time online activities. A purposive sample of 49 young people aged between 16 and 19 years and diverse in terms of gender, sexuality, religion and socio-demographic background were recruited from areas across Scotland. Data analysis comprised framework analysis of conversational data (including pair interactions), descriptive analysis of observational data, and data integration.ResultsThis study highlighted practical and socio-cultural barriers to engagement with online sexual health content. Key practical barriers included difficulty filtering overabundant content; limited awareness of specific, relevant, trusted online sources; difficulties in finding locally relevant information about services; and difficulties in navigating large organisations’ websites. Key socio-cultural barriers included fear of being observed; wariness about engaging with visual and auditory content; concern about unintentionally accessing sexually explicit content; and reticence to access sexual health information on social networking platforms or through smartphone applications. These practical and socio-cultural barriers restricted access to information and influenced searching practices.ConclusionThis study provides insights into some of the key barriers faced by young people in accessing and engaging with sexual health information and support online. Reducing such challenges is essential. We highlight the need for sexual health information providers and intervention developers to produce online information that is accurate and accessible; to increase awareness of and promote reliable, accessible sources; and to be sensitive to young people’s concerns about ‘being seen’ accessing sexual health information regarding audio-visual content and platform choice.

The “Be All and End All”? Young People, Online Sexual Health Information, Science and Skepticism

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232110035
Author(s):  
Adrian Farrugia ◽  
Andrea Waling ◽  
Kiran Pienaar ◽  
Suzanne Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Sexual Practices ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Science Society ◽  
Online Sources

In this article, we investigate young people’s trust in online sexual health resources. Analyzing interviews with 37 young people in Australia using Irwin and Michael’s account of science–society relations and Warner’s conceptualization of “publics,” we explore the processes by which they assess the credibility of online sexual health information. We suggest that when seeking medical information, young people opt for traditionally authoritative online sources that purport to offer “facts.” By contrast, when seeking information about relationships or sexual practices, participants indicated a preference for websites presenting “experiences” rather than or as well as “facts.” Regardless of content, however, our participants approached online sexual health information skeptically and used various techniques to appraise its quality and trustworthiness. We argue that these young people are productively understood as a skeptical public of sexual health. We conclude by exploring the implications of our analysis for the provision of online sexual health information.

Making epistemic citizens: Young people and the search for reliable and credible sexual health information

2021 ◽  
Vol 276 ◽  
pp. 113817
Author(s):  
Suzanne Fraser ◽  
David Moore ◽  
Andrea Waling ◽  
Adrian Farrugia
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Sexual Health Information

How Does the Internet Fill the Sexual Health Information Gap for Teens?

2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. S9-S10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel K. Jones ◽  
Ann E. Biddlecom ◽  
Ruth M. Milne
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Information Gap

scholarly journals University students’ behaviours towards accessing sexual health information and treatment

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 671-679
Author(s):  
Benjamin J Gray ◽  
Adam T Jones ◽  
Zoë Couzens ◽  
Tracey Sagar ◽  
Debbie Jones
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Family Doctor ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
Family Doctors ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
Sexual Health Clinics ◽  
The Uk

Globally, it is widely recognised that young people (those under the age of 25 years) are at a higher risk of developing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The majority of university students studying in the UK fall within this age bracket, and to help prevent such high incidence of STIs in this age group, it is essential that advice and treatment, if required, are obtained from reliable sources. This study sought to explore sources of sexual heath advice and treatment for students at Welsh universities (n = 3007). The main sources of advice were identified as the internet (49.1%) and GP/family doctors (38.9%), whilst local sexual health clinics (24.9%) and GP/family doctor services (20.2%) were the main sources for treatment in students. Males were more likely than females to report never needing advice (AOR 2.74; CI = 2.24–3.35) or requiring treatment (AOR 1.37; CI = 1.17–1.60). The apparent lack of engagement with these services by male students is a cause for concern, although one possible solution could be to further develop online methods to increase uptake of testing. Furthermore, the popularity of the internet for advice provides a timely reminder that regulation of online sexual health information is critical.

Parents’ attitudes toward comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina R. Peter ◽  
Timothy B. Tasker ◽  
Stacey S. Horn
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Sexuality Education ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Abstinence Only ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

Purpose – Parents are sometimes perceived as barriers to providing comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education to young people. However, little is known about parents’ actual attitudes towards providing such broad information to young people. The purpose of this paper is to examine two different approaches to measuring parents’ attitudes towards sexuality information, a programme title approach and a topic-centred approach. Design/methodology/approach – Illinois parents of adolescents (n=301) indicated their knowledge about and attitudes towards sexuality education programmes and 18 sexual health topics via online survey. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine whether parents’ attitudes were more consistent with a programme-centred (i.e. abstinence-only, comprehensive) or a topic-centred (i.e. physical health, sexual and gender identity, pleasure, and relationships) approach. Findings – Parents were uncertain about what form of sexuality education was offered but most were equally comfortable with both abstinence-only and comprehensive programmes. Parents’ ratings of topics grouped significantly better by the topic-centred than the programme-centred approach. Parents rated all four subjects as important, with the highest mean ratings given to physical health topics. Further, parents’ ratings of importance by subject matter were largely independent of their reported programming preference. Together these findings provide evidence that parents believe it is important for their children to have access to a broad range of sexual health education information. Originality/value – This study is one of the first to document parents’ support for information for young people that goes beyond being comprehensive to include topics such as identities and pleasure. In addition, parents’ lack of knowledge about sexuality education programming may obscure their support for sexual health information. Measuring support by specific topics, however, can help to overcome issues due to parents’ lack of knowledge about programming.

scholarly journals Good sex matters: Pleasure as a driver of online sex education for young people

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1480
Author(s):  
Lindsay van Clief ◽  
Elianne Anemaat
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
New Media ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Sexual Experience ◽  
Positive Approach ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
The Difference

Background There are few documented examples of online sex education platforms that make an impact on young people’s sexual health and wellbeing, yet research shows that new media has enormous potential to be harnessed in this way. The same is true for a pleasure-positive approach to sex education curricula and programmes. This research provides empirical evidence from the Love Matters' websites in Mexico, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and India to highlight the prevalence and importance of talking about pleasure-related topics with young people. Methodology Love Matters is an online sex education platform targeting seven countries and attracting 30 million website visits in 2018. We analysed data through Google Analytics to explore the difference between sex education-focused content and pleasure-focused content and how young people engage with different types of sexual health information on the Love Matters platforms. Results Pleasure-focused content is 1.5 times more popular than sex education-focused content across all platforms. However, education-focused content attracts more organic traffic, suggesting young people purposefully search for sexual health information online. Users generally spend longer on the site engaging with sex education-focused content than pleasure-focused content. Conclusion This research provides empirical evidence from five countries in the Global South to support the notion that young people are actively looking for sexual health information that covers the full scope of sexual experience and pleasure, including – but not limited to – the reduction of health risks. This paper furthers the efforts to adopt a pleasure-positive approach to both online and offline sex education interventions.

scholarly journals Good sex matters: Pleasure as a driver of online sex education for young people

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay van Clief ◽  
Elianne Anemaat
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
New Media ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Sexual Experience ◽  
Positive Approach ◽  
Sexual Health Information ◽  
The Difference

Background There are few documented examples of online sex education platforms that make an impact on young people’s sexual health and wellbeing, yet research shows that new media has enormous potential to be harnessed in this way. The same is true for a pleasure-positive approach to sex education curricula and programmes. This research provides empirical evidence from the Love Matters' websites in Mexico, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and India to highlight the prevalence and importance of talking about pleasure-related topics with young people. Methodology Love Matters is an online sex education platform targeting seven countries and attracting 30 million website visits in 2018. We analysed data through Google Analytics to explore the difference between sex education-focused content and pleasure-focused content and how young people engage with different types of sexual health information on the Love Matters platforms. Results Pleasure-focused content is 1.5 times more popular than sex education-focused content across all platforms. However, education-focused content attracts more organic traffic, suggesting young people purposefully search for sexual health information online. Users generally spend longer on the site engaging with sex education-focused content than pleasure-focused content. Conclusion This research provides empirical evidence from five countries in the Global South to support the notion that young people are actively looking for sexual health information that covers the full scope of sexual experience and pleasure, including – but not limited to – the reduction of health risks. This paper furthers the efforts to adopt a pleasure-positive approach to both online and offline sex education interventions.

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