Sexual Health Information Seeking Online Among Runaway and Homeless Youth

Abstract

Research shows runaway and homeless youth are reluctant to seek help from traditional health providers. The Internet can be useful in engaging this population and meeting their needs for sexual health information, including information about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Using a sample of homeless youth living in Los Angeles, California in June 2009, this study assesses the frequency with which runaway and homeless youth seek sexual health information via the Internet, and assesses which youth are more likely to engage in seeking health information from online sources. Drawing from Andersen’s (1968) health behavior model and Pescosolido’s (1992) network episode model, we develop and refine a model for seeking online sexual health information among homeless youth. Rather than testing the predicative strength of a given model, our aim is to identify and explore conceptually driven correlates that may shed light on the characteristics associated with these help seeking behaviors among homeless youth. Analyses using multivariate logistic regression models reveal that among the sample of youth, females and gay males most frequently seek sexual health information online. We demonstrate the structure of social network ties (e.g., connection with parents) and the content of interactions (e.g., e-mail forwards of health information) across ties are critical correlates of online sexual health information seeking. Results show a continued connection with parents via the Internet is significantly associated with youth seeking HIV or STI information. Similarly for content of interactions, more youth who were sent health information online also reported seeking HIV information and HIV-testing information. We discuss implications for intervention and practice, focusing on how the Internet may be used for dissemination of sexual health information and as a resource for social workers to link transient, runaway, and homeless youth to care.

Social Networking Technology Use and Engagement in HIV-Related Risk and Protective Behaviors Among Homeless Youth

“…This study reinforces and updates many findings from the prior work of Young and Rice (2011), which found that homeless youth are active users of social networking technologies, and they use these sites to communicate with a diverse social network and talk about a range of issues (Barman-Adhikari & Rice, 2011). As such, social media may offer a powerful opportunity for accessing, educating, and intervening with this typically hard to reach group, as their frequent social media use mirrors use among the general population.…”

“…As such, social media may offer a powerful opportunity for accessing, educating, and intervening with this typically hard to reach group, as their frequent social media use mirrors use among the general population. Furthermore, given the majority of our youth reported connecting via SNS to family and home-based peers, and a substantial subgroup used social media to communicate with caseworkers, social media outlets may offer a promising tool for engaging this transient and hard-to-reach population and bridging youths’ connections to non-street networks (Barman-Adhikari & Rice, 2011; Rice & Barman-Adhikari, 2014). …”

“…This work asserts that connections with home-based peers and supportive family members have a positive function for most homeless youth (Rice et al, 2008; Wenzel et al, 2010; Tyler, 2008). For example, Barman-Adhikari & Rice (2011) found that homeless youth who reported talking to parents or receiving health forwards from their friends (i.e. online messages concerning health) of which could include, but was not limited to SNS, were more likely to look for sexual health and HIV testing information online.…”

Internet and Social Media Use as a Resource Among Homeless Youth

“…Therefore, in exploring homeless youth’s access to the internet, it would be prudent to consider the wider social context within which internet access might be facilitated or hindered. Previous studies have found that homeless youth who had personal internet access, relative to youth who relied solely on public internet access, reported higher rates of HIV/STI and HIV testing information seeking (Barman-Adhikari & Rice, 2011). Therefore, it is possible that youth who are in stable or temporary housing have better access to the internet than those who are without any form of housing.…”

Use of the Internet as a source for reproductive health information seeking among adolescent girls in secondary schools in Enugu, Nigeria

“…Elsewhere in Los Angeles, California, a study among runaway and homeless youth revealed that a continued connection between youths and parents through the Internet was significantly associated with youth seeking HIV or STI information; and more youth who searched for health information online mostly sought HIV information and HIV testing information (Barman‐Adhikari, & Rice, ).…”