In the name of innocence: Adolescents and information about sex

Abstract

It is clear that, in relation to sexual issues, the costs of adolescents remaining in a state of information poverty may be immense. What is rather less clear, however, is how this deficit should be redressed -how and by whom information about sex should be provided and what information is regarded as necessary by the adolescent consumers of that information. These considerations are the focus of a study currently being conducted at Loughborough University in the Department of Information and Library Studies. This paper explores issues surrounding sex information for adolescents within the existing literature. It describes the role of sex information within the context of the growing consumer interest in general health information. Secondly, it identifies the issues commonly included in sex information and outlines both 'official' 1 sources of information about sex, eg. school sex education courses, and 'unofficial' sources of information, eg. via peer groups. Finally, those sexual issues which are rarely, or never, discussed by any information sources are briefly considered. A broadly social constructionist approach is used to explore the complex positioning of adolescent information users.'The value of information is not intrinsic, but lies in the uses to which it can be put. From these uses, advantages can be derived which are beneficial to the 'owner' of the information and which would not have been attainable without it. If access to information is controlled, whether economically or in any other way, the potential benefits of possessing it will be lost by those to whom it is denied. These propositions underpin the concepts of 'information wealth' and 'information poverty'... 2

Sex information for boys: Are the available sources suitable?

“…Young people (especially under 16s) fear their parents will be told if they seek contraception or sexual advice from a doctor and there is the fear of being seen leaving or entering the premises. Some young people worry that they are wasting the doctor's time asking for sexual advice assuming that the doctor only has time for physical illness or injury (38). The government is planning for doctors to 'counsel' under 16s on the risks of sex when they seek contraception or sexual advice (39).…”