Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents

Background: There is a lack of sexual health knowledge and resource access among youth in Latin America, along with rising rates of teenage pregnancy and STD transmission. Objective: To determine baseline sexual health knowledge and the acceptance of a technology based sexual health risk-reduction p...

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Autores principales:	Christoper Reynolds, Melissa A. Sutherland, Iván Palacios
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Ubiquity Press 2019
Materias:	Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/3cbe013cb9d4467e98acd37ea591a7fe
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:3cbe013cb9d4467e98acd37ea591a7fe2021-12-02T00:58:08ZExploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents2214-999610.5334/aogh.35https://doaj.org/article/3cbe013cb9d4467e98acd37ea591a7fe2019-04-01T00:00:00Zhttps://annalsofglobalhealth.org/articles/35https://doaj.org/toc/2214-9996Background: There is a lack of sexual health knowledge and resource access among youth in Latin America, along with rising rates of teenage pregnancy and STD transmission. Objective: To determine baseline sexual health knowledge and the acceptance of a technology based sexual health risk-reduction program among Ecuadorean adolescents. Methods: We used mixed methods to determine the sexual health knowledge and practices, and technology use among 204 adolescents from two schools in Cumbayá and Lumbisí, Ecuador. Quantitative data was collected through surveys and qualitative through single-gender focus groups. Findings: Nearly every participant (96.6%) expressed interest in a sexual health education program using technology and social media. A majority of participants indicated that they consulted parents (58.3%) regarding sexual health questions. Only a few participants had access to physicians outside of appointments (3.9%), and most desired more sexual health information (87.3%). Although approximately one-quarter of participants were sexually active (27%), most lacked baseline knowledge regarding contraceptives and STDs. Facebook (91%) and WhatsApp (53%) were the most frequently used and requested social media for an educational program. Students indicated a strong desire to be involved in the design stages of a sexual health risk-reduction program, rather than use a pre-established program. Conclusions: There is strong interest in a technology based sexual health risk-reduction program through Facebook and WhatsApp, which could establish communication between health providers and Ecuadorian youth to disseminate health information and answer private inquiries. Findings from this study, the first of its kind among South American adolescents, introduces a novel idea: involving participants from initial design stages of a text-messaging health education program. Future studies should focus on engaging families as well as physicians’ willingness to participate. Implications and Contributions: This paper is the first acceptability study of a technology based sexual health risk-reduction program among low-income South American adolescents. Findings enhance understanding of pregnancy and STD prevention interventions by demonstrating participants’ desire for self-design and implementation, and highlight their importance through a lack of baseline adolescent sexual health knowledge.Christoper ReynoldsMelissa A. SutherlandIván PalaciosUbiquity PressarticleInfectious and parasitic diseasesRC109-216Public aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENAnnals of Global Health, Vol 85, Iss 1 (2019)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Christoper Reynolds Melissa A. Sutherland Iván Palacios Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents
description	Background: There is a lack of sexual health knowledge and resource access among youth in Latin America, along with rising rates of teenage pregnancy and STD transmission. Objective: To determine baseline sexual health knowledge and the acceptance of a technology based sexual health risk-reduction program among Ecuadorean adolescents. Methods: We used mixed methods to determine the sexual health knowledge and practices, and technology use among 204 adolescents from two schools in Cumbayá and Lumbisí, Ecuador. Quantitative data was collected through surveys and qualitative through single-gender focus groups. Findings: Nearly every participant (96.6%) expressed interest in a sexual health education program using technology and social media. A majority of participants indicated that they consulted parents (58.3%) regarding sexual health questions. Only a few participants had access to physicians outside of appointments (3.9%), and most desired more sexual health information (87.3%). Although approximately one-quarter of participants were sexually active (27%), most lacked baseline knowledge regarding contraceptives and STDs. Facebook (91%) and WhatsApp (53%) were the most frequently used and requested social media for an educational program. Students indicated a strong desire to be involved in the design stages of a sexual health risk-reduction program, rather than use a pre-established program. Conclusions: There is strong interest in a technology based sexual health risk-reduction program through Facebook and WhatsApp, which could establish communication between health providers and Ecuadorian youth to disseminate health information and answer private inquiries. Findings from this study, the first of its kind among South American adolescents, introduces a novel idea: involving participants from initial design stages of a text-messaging health education program. Future studies should focus on engaging families as well as physicians’ willingness to participate. Implications and Contributions: This paper is the first acceptability study of a technology based sexual health risk-reduction program among low-income South American adolescents. Findings enhance understanding of pregnancy and STD prevention interventions by demonstrating participants’ desire for self-design and implementation, and highlight their importance through a lack of baseline adolescent sexual health knowledge.
format	article
author	Christoper Reynolds Melissa A. Sutherland Iván Palacios
author_facet	Christoper Reynolds Melissa A. Sutherland Iván Palacios
author_sort	Christoper Reynolds
title	Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents
title_short	Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents
title_full	Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents
title_fullStr	Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents
title_full_unstemmed	Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents
title_sort	exploring the use of technology for sexual health risk-reduction among ecuadorean adolescents
publisher	Ubiquity Press
publishDate	2019
url	https://doaj.org/article/3cbe013cb9d4467e98acd37ea591a7fe
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Exploring the Use of Technology for Sexual Health Risk-Reduction among Ecuadorean Adolescents

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