Sex and Technology

Jennifer Alviar, Rena Baradi, Meredith Lenox, Gem Morido, Sarah Ragaza
Introduction
❖ Technology (Dowdell, Burgess, & Flores, 2011)
➢ A limitless, unmediated outlet for information

❖ Youth
➢ Largest user population of Internet-based communication and texting

❖ Increased attention to healthcare concerns (Mitchell et al., 2012)

➢ Main issue → risky sexual behavior through exposure of sexualized
material
➢ Higher rates of sex-related issues
Introduction
❖ Why is this important to parents? (Rice et al., 2014)

➢ Able to discuss sex freely with children

➢ Assess scope and impact of sexual material on children

➢ Most ideal resource for safe sex education

Statistics
❖ Significant rise due to social networking peak in 2010s (Rice et al., 2014)

❖ 93% of American teens have used the Internet (Mitchell et al., 2012)
➢ 55% have a profile on some social media
➢ 63% own a cell phone, median 60 texts a day

❖ 40% of adolescents exposed to some form of sexual content (Houck et al., 2014)

❖ National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (Rice et al., 2014)
➢ 20% of teenagers ages 18-19 have sent nude/semi-nude pictures
➢ Highest incidence among high schoolers
The Parent Perspective: What Parents Know
● Children have increasing access to inappropriate
material
● Parent have decreasing ability to monitor and control
exposure
● Sexual content virtually everywhere
● Early and frequent exposure results in kids becoming
sexually involved too early in life
The Parent Perspective: Lay Literature
● Predominance of sexual material in media (Greatschools
Staff, 2016)
● Exposure to media with sexual content increases likelihood
of initiating and engaging in sex (Greatschools Staff, 2016)
● Social media makes it easier for teens to engage in sexual
behavior (Media Influences, 2012)
● Common for children to participate in sexting (Media
Influences, 2012)
The Parent Perspective: Accuracy of Information
● Association between sexual media exposure and
adolescent sexual behavior and outcomes (Collins,
2011).
● Sexual material in the media was found to be highly
influential on adolescent sexual behaviors (Harris,
2011).
● Determined that sexual media exposure may perhaps
result in early initiation of sexual behavior (Harris,
2011).
● Exposure to sexual media was found to lead to
increased objectification of women (Harris, 2011).
The Care Provider Perspective
ADOLESCENCE

● Purpose: Promote sexual health to adolescents and to assist parents on how to

address their child’s sexual health in a positive and healthy way.

● Create a positive healthcare provider-patient relationship

● Provide a safe, non-judgemental environment

○ Help encourage gynecology appointments and promote safe sex practices

(birth control and condoms)
The Care Provider Perspective
PARENTS
● Purpose: Educate about stages of sexual development,
contraception, and emergency contraception

● Focus: Well-being of the adolescent, how to prevent pregnancy, and

educate about HIV and STI testing
Educational Program Content
Children/adolescents
Parents
● Abstinence
● Limit screen time to < 2 hours/day (Jones, 2012)
● Effects of peer pressure
● Openly monitor accessed media sites and
● STDs and prevention
cell phone use
○ Clinical manifestations
● Watch TV/movies together → discussion
○ Females (no douches after
about family moral values
intercourse)
● American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
● Birth control
recommends immediate conversation of
● Date rape (Safer Sex Guidelines for Adolescents)
“sexting” when “first phone” is received
(Children, Adolescents, and the Media, 2013)
● Safer sex guidelines
● AAP suggests the “sex talk” when children ○ One partner, past history of STDs
first ask where babies come from ● Regular examinations and periodic tests
for STDs
Planned Parenthood
Mission Services
● To provide comprehensive reproductive and ● Online, in select states
complementary health care services in ○ Order birth control
settings which preserve and protect the ○ STD testing
essential privacy and rights of each ○ UTI treatment
individual
● In Person
● To advocate public policies which ○ Abortion services
guarantee these rights and ensure access to ○ Birth control
such services ○ General health care
○ HIV testing
● To provide educational programs which ○ Women / Men’s health care
enhance understanding of individual and ○ Morning-after pill
societal implications of human sexuality ○ Pregnancy testing & services
○ STD testing, treatment, and vaccines
Planned Parenthood: Contact Information

Planned Parenthood Virginia Beach Health Center

515 Newtown Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
(757)499-7526
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/
Loveisrespect
Mission
● To engage, educate, and empower young people to prevent and end abusive relationships

Services
● Free and confidential phone, live chat, and texting services available 24/7/365
● Offer support, information, and advocacy to young people who have questions or concerns about their dating
relationships
● Provide trainings, toolkits, and curriculum to equip parents, educators, peers, and survivors on how to raise
awareness about unhealthy relationships
Loveisrespect: Contact Information

Chat at http://www.loveisrespect.org/

Text “loveis” to 22522

Call 1-866-331-9474

*AVAILABLE 24/7/365*
Agencies/Organizations
● Organizations such as Planned Parenthood and Loveisrespect support and provide

families with educational resources and factual information about sexual health and

healthy relationships.

● These resources guide parents on how to properly approach and educate their children on

safe sex practices and help them identify unhealthy relationship characteristics.

○ Teach them about consent, trust, setting boundaries, and social networking

safety.
Summary
❖ Sexual behavior will continue to be relevant among adolescents

❖ Aim to decrease serious consequences of behavior

❖ Education remains as the highest priority intervention

➢ For children, parents, and healthcare providers
Reflection of Learning
❖ Must be realistic and supportive
➢ Teach relevant sexual education rather than decline behaviors
➢ Use appropriate judgment rather than prevent exposure

❖ Approach in a nonjudgmental and reassuring manner

❖ Professional nursing practice (Dowdell, Burgess, & Flores, 2011)

➢ Initiate policies to advocate for safe sexual practice or reduced consequences
➢ Aim to properly train healthcare providers with therapeutic communication
 References
"Children, Adolescents, and the Media." American Academy of Pediatrics 132.5 (2013): 958-61. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

Collins, R. L., Martino, S. C., Elliott, M. N., & Miu, A. (2011). Relationships Between Adolescent Sexual Outcomes and Exposure to Sex in Media: Robustness to Propensity-Based Analysis.

Developmental Psychology, 47(2), 585-591. doi:10.1037/a0022563

Dowdell, E. B., Burgess, A. W., & Flores, J. R. (2011). Online social networking patterns among adolescents, young adults, and sexual offenders. American Journal of Nursing, 111(7), .
doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000399310.83160.73

Greatschools Staff. (2016, October 14). Sexual behavior: What teens learn from media | Parenting. Retrieved November 18, 2016, from

http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/sexual-behavior-teens-learn-from-media/

Harris, A. L. (2011). Media and Technology in Adolescent Sexual Education and Safety. JOGNN: Journal Of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 40(2), 235-242.

doi:10.1111/j.1552-6909.2011.01218.x

Houck, C. D., Barker, D., Rizzo, C., Hancock, E., Norton, A., & Brown, L. K. (2014). Sexting and sexual behavior in at-risk adolescents. American Academy of Pediatrics, 133(2),
276–282. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-1157

Jones, K., Baldwin, K. A., & Lewis, P. R. (2012). The Potential Influence of a Social Media Intervention on Risky Sexual Behavior and Chlamydia Incidence. Journal of Community Health Nursing,

29(2), 106-120. doi:10.1080/07370016.2012.670579

Loveisrespect. (2013). About loveisrespect. Retrieved from http://www.loveisrespect.org/about/

Media Influences on Teen Sexual Behavior. (2012, February 04). Retrieved November 18, 2016, from http://www.rand.org/health/feature/forty/media_influences_on_teen_sex.htm
 References (continued)
Mitchell, K. J., Finkelhor, D., Jones, L. M., & Wolak, J. (2012). Prevalence and characteristics of youth sexting: A national study. American Academy of Pediatrics, 129(1), 13–20.
doi:10.1542/peds.2011-1730

Planned Parenthood Federation of America. (2014). About us. Retrieved from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us

Rice, E., Gibbs, J., Winetrobe, H., Rhoades, H., Plant, A., Montoya, J., & Kordic, T. (2014, July). Sexting and Sexual Behavior Among Middle School Students. Pediatrics, 134(1).

doi:10.1542/peds.2013-2991

Safer Sex Guidelines for Adolescents. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2016, from http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=safer-sex-guidelines-for-adolescents-90-P01645

Tips for Health Care Providers: Helping Teens and Parents with Sexual Health Needs (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2016, from (http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/parents/144-parents)