Internet Use, Social Networking, and HIV/AIDS Risk for Homeless Adolescents

Abstract

Objective-To examine the association between sexual health and internet use, including social networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook, among a sample of homeless adolescents at high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. Methods-201 homeless adolescents were surveyed in 2009 about their internet use.Multivariate logistic regression models assessed how patterns of use were associated with engaging in exchange sex (sex for money, drugs, housing), recent HIV testing, and online partnerseeking behaviors.Results-96.5% reported internet use. Most youth accessed the internet at public libraries or youth service agencies. Increased time online and recent engagement in exchange sex were both positively associated with online partner-seeking. Youth connected to family members online were less likely to practice exchange sex and more likely to report a recent HIV test. Youth connected to street-based peers online were more likely to practice exchange sex, while youth connected to home-based peers online were more likely to report a recent HIV test.Conclusions-Although these data are preliminary, homeless youth need more access to the internet, as access facilitates connecting with family and home-based peers whose presence may reduce sexual risk-taking. Access, however, must be carefully monitored to prevent youth soliciting sex online.As adolescent internet use has moved away from web surfing and anonymous chat rooms to social networking technologies (e.g. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter) (1-2), the implications for the impact of internet use on sexual health have also changed (2-4). Early worries about sexual predation and exposure to inappropriate sexual content online (5-7) have given way to worries about weakened parental influence and the growing influence of potentially risky peers (3-4). With notable exceptions, (6-7) few studies have looked into how internet use is associated with the sexual health of high risk adolescents.The estimated 1.6 million runaway and homeless adolescents in the United States are at great risk for contracting HIV/AIDS (8), with prevalence rates reported as high as 11.5% (9). HIV/AIDS risk for homeless adolescents has been tied to the influence of sexual risk-© 2010 Society for Adolescent Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved All correspondence should be directed to: Eric Rice, Ph.D., at 1149 S. Hill St., Suite 360, Los Angeles, CA, 90015; or ericr@usc.edu.. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. This study examines frequency of internet use, means of accessing the internet, and with whom homeless adolescents connect ...

Cell Phone Use among Homeless Youth: Potential for New Health Interventions and Research

“…Typically, interventions for homeless youth ignore their ongoing relationships to family and home-based peers, 24 yet research has demonstrated that sexual risk taking and substance use are reduced when youth continue to access these networks. 7,25 Cell phones may be a way to keep these youth more regularly and more meaningfully engaged with these physically distant but emotionally close relationships, which could promote positive health outcomes.…”

“…6 To date, no data has been reported on the use of cell phone technology among homeless youth, although recent data has shown that 85% of homeless youth get online at least once a week, that they access a wide spectrum of network ties, and that connecting to family and home-based friends was associated with improved sexual health outcomes. 7 Among housed youth, latest statistics from Pew Research Center 8 found 71% of teens (13 to17 years of age) and 93% of young adults (18 to 30 years of age) own cell phones. Housed youth are now connected to their networks in constant and immediate ways.…”

Homeless young people and living with personal digital artifacts

“…We have observed that homeless young people eagerly adopt digital media and mobile phones [23]. Additionally, ethnographic [9] and survey [16] research, has recently reported similar results, suggesting that the adoption of digital media and devices to be widespread with sweeping implications for how homelessness is considered, mitigated, and corrected. These research findings lead to a key question: How can information systems help young people leave homelessness and not lead to further stigmatization?…”

“…That said, there is a large literature on homeless youth [6,9,10,16], which shows young people generally to be present-focused, often to suffer from the effects of trauma caused by neglect or abuse early in life, and often to be distrustful of adults. At the same time, like all young people, homeless young people vigorously seek out and learn from new experiences, sometimes risky ones, and develop their identities [10].…”

Reflections of affect in studies of information behavior in HIV/AIDS contexts: An exploratory quantitative content analysis

“…Substantial interest is reported in use of the Internet as tool for information seeking and for delivering educational interventions, as well as for information dissemination and supporting people in coping with HIV/AIDS (Kalichman, 2007;Kalichman, Weinhardt, Benotsch, & Cherry, 2002;Kalichman et al, 2003Kalichman et al, , 2005Kalichman et al, , 2006aKalichman et al, , 2006bKalichman et al, , 2012Kalichman, Picciano, & Roffman, 2008;Mayben & Giordano, 2007;Mo & Colson, 2008;Reeves, 2000;Rice, Monro, Barman-Adhikari, & Young, 2010;Robinson & Graham, 2010;…”