Media interventions to promote responsible sexual behavior

Abstract

While the media have been used effectively to promote sexual responsibility in other countries for decades, few such opportunities have been seized in the United States. Mass media may be especially useful for teaching young people about reproductive health because elements of popular culture can be used to articulate messages in young people s terms, in language that won t embarrass them and may even make safe sex more attractive. Media can potentially change the way people think about sex, amidst cultural pressures to have sex at a young age, to have sex forcefully, or to have unsafe sex. Information can be communicated through a variety of channels--small media (e.g., pamphlets, brochures, and the Internet) and mass media--and in a variety of formats--campaigns, news coverage, and educational messages inserted into regular entertainment programming. Several international studies show that exposure to family planning messages through television, radio, and print media are strongly associated with contraceptive use. Domestically, safe sex media campaigns have been associated with increased teen condom use with casual partners, and reductions in the numbers of teenagers reporting sexual activity. Due to private ownership and First Amendment concerns, U.S. sexual health advocates have been working with the commercial media to incorporate subtle health messages into existing entertainment programming.

Knowledge and acceptability of alternative HIV prevention bio-medical products among MSM who bareback

“…Different approaches have shown the potential of using the media for sex education interventions (Keller & Brown, 2002), including among MSM (McOwan et al, 2002). Our results suggest that this may also be true among urban MSM who bareback.…”

Use of Media Technologies by Native American Teens and Young Adults: Evaluating their Utility for Designing Culturally-Appropriate Sexual Health Interventions Targeting Native Youth in the Pacific Northwest

“…347)." Such outcomes were reported by Backer, Rogers, & Sopory (1992), who found that tailoring reproductive health messages to specific populations increased their use of health services (S. N. Keller & Brown, 2002 AI/AN youth in the Pacific NW will similarly prefer websites that discuss a broad spectrum of topics relevant to young people.…”

“…Likewise, sexual health interventions will be most effective when they are complemented and reinforced by other activities at the individual, community, and policy levels, and when provided in conjunction with appropriate health services (S. N. Keller & Brown, 2002), activities already underway by Project Red Talon.…”

“…Many teens feel comfortable using media technologies for learning and communication, and their ability to ease interpersonal communication makes them an ideal vehicle for broaching sensitive health topics (Gerber, Solomon, Shaffer, Quinn, & Lipton, 2007; S. Keller, Labelle, Karimi, & Gupta, 2002;S. N. Keller & Brown, 2002).…”

“…Younger boys (age 12-14 years) Percent activity, eating disorders, smoking cessation, alcoholism, panic disorder, stress management, diabetes self-management, asthma self-management, coping skills, chronic pain, tinnitus, and toilet training (Bennett & Glasgow, 2009;Coyle et al, 2007;Lustria et al, 2009;Nguyen et al, 2004;Portnoy et al, 2008;Ritterband et al, 2003;Ybarra & Bull, 2007;Ybarra & Eaton, 2005), as well as a variety of sexual health behaviors and outcomes (S. N. Keller & Brown, 2002;Noar, Clark, Cole, & Lustria, 2006;Rietmeijer & McFarlane, 2008;Ybarra & Bull, 2007 (Lustria et al, 2009). Internet interventions also vary in the level of human support and interaction provided, from self-administered programs to interventions that are predominantly led by a therapist, augmented occasionally by online components (Benight et al, 2008).…”