Young Australians turning to social media for sexual and reproductive health support, report reveals
A Swinburne report has found that social media is helping fill gaps in sex education and providing an essential connection point to health services for young adults.
In summary
- A new report reveals that social media is helping fill gaps in sex education and providing an essential connection point to health services for young adults.
- Led by Swinburne's Professor Kath Albury, the report highlights the reasons young adults turn to digital technologies for sexual and reproductive health support.
- It found that social media validates young people’s personal experiences while being an educational resource.
Social media is helping fill gaps in sex education and providing an essential connection point to health services for young adults, according to a new report.
The report highlights the reasons young adults (aged 18-29) turn to digital technologies for sexual and reproductive health support.
It found that social media is providing much-needed validation of young people’s personal experiences, particularly for those experiencing chronic pain or identifying as LGBTQIA+, as well as providing sexual health education that may be missed at school or required post-graduation.
“There are lots of ‘adult’ topics that school-based sex education doesn’t cover, and social media platforms are filling these gaps with both information and peer support,” says report co-author Swinburne’s Professor Kath Albury, leader of the ARC Future Fellowship project ‘Digital and data capabilities for sexual health policy and practice’.
“These spaces are often dismissed as ‘misinformation’, but our participants valued them as sites of validation for lived experiences of sexual, reproductive and gender health.”
TikTok is another source of validation, particularly for those experiencing symptoms of conditions such as endometriosis, or those seeking gender-affirming healthcare.
“This population group are aware that information available online can be inaccurate or catastrophised. But they want health providers to take their health concerns seriously during consultations – even when they mention TikTok”.
Young people value factual communication of medical information, but this is not all that’s required to offer high quality digital services, explains Professor Albury.
“Some organisations assume that hiring young staff will fix this issue, but health workers under 30 are not automatic digital experts, even if they are so-called ‘digital natives’. The digital transformation of youth sexual and reproductive health is still an under-resourced work-in-progress.”
Although people aged 12-29 are the ‘priority population’ within Australian sexual health policies, young adults who have left formal schooling are often left out of policy and research.
Professor Albury and her team are currently buildings resources to support digital and data capabilities in the sexual and reproductive health sectors.
“The sector is beginning to recognise the different ways that digital and data skills, infrastructure and governance can support sexual and reproductive health. But better training and resourcing is still needed for the emerging health workforce.
“Our project’s recommendations and resources will hopefully pave the way forward for productive dialogues between policymakers, funders, the health workforce and health consumers.”
-
Media Enquiries
Related articles
-
- Health
Swinburne medical cannabis driving trial starts
Swinburne is leading a trial as part of the Victorian Government’s $4.9 million investment in developing an informed position on medicinal cannabis and drug driving.
Monday 04 November 2024 -
- Technology
- Health
- Business
From custom-fit Hearables to dental devices: how H3D led a Swinburne alum to startup success
Swinburne alum Dr Philip Kinsella, co-founder and CTO of custom-fit devices startup H3D, shares the story of the company’s growth and evolution as a multi-industry innovator.
Tuesday 01 October 2024 -
- Health
Young Australians turning to social media for sexual and reproductive health support, report reveals
A new Swinburne report had found that social media is helping fill gaps in sex education and providing an essential connection point to health services for young adults.
Tuesday 08 October 2024 -
- Sustainability
International project makes hydrogen storage lighter for future transport
Swinburne has collaborated with the University of Stuttgart to create an innovative new hydrogen storage technology could lead to safer, lighter and faster zero emissions transport in the future.
Tuesday 15 October 2024 -
- Science
New program to set national standards for radiotherapy treatment means better health outcomes of one million Australians
Swinburne, CSIRO, and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency have partnered on a new program to develop the next generation of national standards for radiotherapy treatment in Australia.
Tuesday 24 September 2024