A telephone survey of 416 randomly selected registered voters examined the distinctive contributions of cynicism and skepticism to citizens’ media satisfaction, external political efficacy, and apathy. Results suggest that cynicism and skepticism reflect dissatisfaction with media coverage, but have opposite effects on external efficacy. Cynicism has no relationship with apathy, while skepticism decreases it. Satisfaction with news media increases efficacy and apathy. Although cynicism’s relationship to efficacy is of concern, these findings undercut the argument frequently made that dissatisfaction with media coverage is responsible for cynicism and political apathy.

The rapidly changing media landscape and proliferation of new technologies creates vast new opportunities for HIV prevention. The fast growth of the relatively new eHealth field is a testament to the excitement and promise of these new technologies. eHealth interventions in HIV prevention tested to date include computer- and Internet-based interventions; chat room interventions; text messaging interventions; and social media. The current article provides a brief review of these types of interventions in HIV prevention, including their unique advantages and evidence of efficacy. Implications for future research in the eHealth HIV prevention field are discussed.

Objectives: Text message–based interventions may provide sexual health information to young people through a number of service types, from sending information on a regularly scheduled timeline, to providing an automated menu, to allowing young people to connect directly with health educators. While such service types exist, it is not clear which features young adults feel are most effective at allowing them to engage with sexual health information. Design: This study used a mixed-methods design (survey and focus groups) to assess perceptions of three types of sexual health text message services with young adults, a population particularly at risk of negative sexual health outcomes. Setting: College students from the US Pacific Northwest participated in the project. Method: Participants heard about three sexual health text message services, completed questionnaires and discussed each type. Focus groups were gender-separated. Results: Participants reported that services that allowed them to connect with a health educator would be highly useful, but automated services would be beneficial in bringing new topics to their attention. Participants perceived the purpose of the service types as different and felt each could be a useful resource, depending on the situation. Regardless of service type, participants wanted to personalise their experience. Participants wanted messages tailored to them and options to interact with the systems, from influencing topic selection to message timing. Conclusion: Each of the service types can be useful for young adults. Young adults perceive services that provide the opportunity to tailor information and interact with the system as beneficial.

Research indicates that when people seek health information, they typically look for information about a specific symptom, preventive measure, disease, or treatment. It is unclear, however, whether general or disease-specific theoretical models best predict how people search for health information. We surveyed undergraduates (N = 963) at a large public southeastern university to examine health information seeking in two incongruent health contexts (sexual health and cancer) to test whether a general model would hold for specific topics that differed in their immediate personal relevance for the target population. We found that the planned risk information seeking model was statistically a good fit for the data. Yet multiple predicted paths were not supported in either data set. Certain variables, such as attitudes, norms, and affect, appear to be strong predictors of intentions to seek information across health contexts. Implications for theory building, research methodology, and applied work in health-related risk information seeking are discussed.

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Content analyses have cataloged the sexual scripts present in magazines largely because of their perceived value to readers and their potential role as sex educators. Although it is generally agreed that magazines have the potential to influence sexual attitudes and behavioral intentions, the effects of this medium are not as frequently researched as are other forms of media. The current study tested whether exposure to magazines was associated with intentions related to sexual consent negotiation. A survey of 313 college students indicated that exposure to men's magazines was significantly associated with lower intentions to seek sexual consent and lower intentions to adhere to decisions about sexual consent. In contrast, exposure to women's magazines was significantly associated with greater intentions to refuse unwanted sexual activity. Overall, the findings of this study further reinforce the critical need for responsible and realistic portrayals of sex in entertainment media, specifically magazines.

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The purpose of the current investigation was to contextualize the sexual relationships and risk behaviors of heterosexually active African Americans. A total of 38 participants (20 females and 18 males) aged 18–44 years were recruited in a large city in the southeastern U.S. to participate in focus group discussions exploring sexual partnerships, general condom perceptions, and condom negotiation. Results indicated that participants distinguished among at least three partner types–one-night stand, “regular” casual partner, and main partner. Partner types were found to shape and influence types of sexual behaviors, perceptions of risk and condom use, and condom negotiation. Participants also shared general perceptions about condoms and elucidated situations in which intentions to use condoms were not realized. Gender differences emerged in many of these areas. Implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research on sexual partnerships and risk behavior are offered.