youth definitions of_healthy_sexuality -kimmel

Youth Definitions of Healthy Sexuality: Implications for Technology Use

Allison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Daniel J. Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health Department

Sex::TechApril 1, 2011

Allison Kimmel, MPH CandidateTerrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate

Daniel J. Kruger, PhD

May 12, 2011

http://www.gchd.us/

1. Genesee County Healthy Sexuality Project

2. Method Used

3. ResultsYouth definitions of healthy sexuality

Youth technology preferences

4. Discussion

5. Current Projects

Dan Kruger, PhD, Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate, Allison Kimmel, MPH CandidateThe Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health Department

Overview

May 12, 2011Allison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Dan Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health DepartmentAllison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Daniel J. Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health Department

http://www.gchd.us/

Genesee County Healthy Sexuality Project

1. Why Genesee County? Highest HIV rates in Michigan

437 per 100,000 African-American males 167 per 100,000 African-American females

Flint designated as “high prevalence area” by state of Michigan Number of STIs in youth continue to rise1

2. Collaborative Partners YOUR Center Genesee County Health Department Prevention Research Center of Michigan

3. Goals Develop coalition to increase awareness of healthy sexuality Develop an asset map focused on STI and teen pregnancy rates Identify strategies to fill gaps in existing efforts Conduct events & activities highlighting issues around healthy sexuality

4. Why text messaging and email? Part of existing social network Social and technical capital as protective factors Economic landscape

1Michigan Department of Community Health. (2010, April). The state of adolescent sexual health in Michigan. Retrieved on February 28, 2011 from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/WhitePaper2010_319339_7.pdf

Dan Kruger, PhD, Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate, Allison Kimmel, MPH CandidateThe Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health DepartmentAllison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Dan Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health DepartmentAllison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Daniel J. Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health Department

http://www.gchd.us/

Methods and Results

1. Methods6 Focus groups

92 participants (total)

Age 14 – 24

16 LGBT participants (self-reported)

80% African American

20% White or Hispanic/Latino

2. ResultsYouth definitions of healthy sexuality are embedded in youth

preferences of technology as tools to promote healthy

sexuality.

Dan Kruger, PhD, Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate, Allison Kimmel, MPH CandidateThe Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health DepartmentAllison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Dan Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health DepartmentAllison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Daniel J. Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health Department

http://www.gchd.us/


Results: Youth Definitions ofHealthy Sexuality

1. Personal Power and Communication

• “If any woman any man before you get intimate with somebody, you should at least have their respect.”

• “Ask my doctor about birth control, ask him about the risks of getting sexual disease, ask him about those and coming to the health department if I want to know more and so I make sure I am safe and I make sure I have myself in every way possible.”

2. Morality

• “Some of the parents who actually married their kids, with vows to not have sex, I think that’s a good thing to, because some of the women actually do go through it.”

• “Because that’s not really an option about our safe, well it is, but a lot of people don’t talk about [abstinence]. You say use safe sex, you don’t say its ok to not have sex, if you decide that.”

Allison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Dan Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health DepartmentAllison Kimmel, MPH Candidate; Terrance Campbell, MISM, MA Ed, PhD Candidate; Daniel J. Kruger, PhD The Prevention Research Center of Michigan, YOUR Center, and Genesee County Health Department

http://www.gchd.us/


Results: Youth Definitions ofHealthy Sexuality cont’d

3. Personal responsibility and self-sufficiency

• “…just respect yourself cause if you don’t respect…yourself then no one else will.”

• “It’s not my responsibility to tell you…I’m not gonna hold your hand. Is you wearing a condom, booboo? It’s your responsibility because you your own person.”

• “Ain’t no mistake, you know what you doing. People just don’t care.”

4. Trust

• “Since you can’t trust nobody, you got to protect yourself.”

• “…once you know someone you are suppose to have that trust and if you have been together for so long you are suppose to be allowed to ask questions as far as your sexuality so you need to know what your partners have, what you have and you both need to get it together and go and get checked out”.


http://www.gchd.us/

1. Personal Responsibility “Your own self probably or something like that, your own computers and stuff

like that to know all this information, get your information and stuff about this that is going on, I don’t know.”

“You gotta know for yourself. I gotta have proof. I just can’t go off hearsay.”

2. Trust and Privacy “Because the nurses don’t know you personally as well [as the teachers], they may not talk

about you because they don’t see you on a day to day basis. And since they are certified they cannot talk about you, they have to keep it private.”

”It would be cool if [texting nurses] could be 24/7 help. If you seriously have questions about something that you have a way to find out what you want to know.”

“I: [Would you like] sexual health information via text messaging or email?R: I wouldn’t. I don’t want to talk to no phone or text…I want to see them in person.”


Results: Youth Preferences for Technology Use


http://www.gchd.us/


Results: Youth Preferences for Technology Use cont’d

3. Other preferences Directionality of communication

Partner notification “Probably the worst idea ever...I would be so mad… I would be so

upset.”

Information source “That is where we hear about everything happening and phones text messaging.

When Michael Jackson got, died. How did you find out?”

Need for variety of sources “There is not a certain way or a certain thing that you can say, this is

what you need to do to be aware. It just depends on your background. She might be fortunate to be able to go on the Internet or be able to read a book.”


http://www.gchd.us/


Discussion

Technology as a tool for sexual health promotion• Privacy concerns

• Trust in the source

• Directionality of communication

• Not for partner notification

• Need for a variety of information sources

Strengths and Limitations• Youth Voice

• Very specific group and city


http://www.gchd.us/


Current Projects

1. 2nd Round of Focus Groups (Technology emphasis)

2. HIV/STI Outreach Prevention Education - HOPE (5-year CDC project)

• Home-based STI/HIV awareness and safer sex strategy sessions

• Interactive and social media resource usage

3. Peer Health Information Mentors ( 2 –year NLM contract)

• STI/HIV interactive and social media resource development

• Peer workshops and discussion groups (community and online)

4. Let’s Talk about Sex (University of Michigan Flint course - Incoming Freshmen)

• STI/HIV collaborative community-based projects

• Wellness AIDS Service, Planned Parenthood, and Raise It Up


http://www.gchd.us/


Thank You!

• Flint Residents• Genesee County Health Department• Genesee Healthy Sexuality Project Team• ISIS• Kellogg Health Scholars Program• Michigan Institute of Health and Clinical

Research• Prevention Research Center of Michigan Staff• YOUR Center Staff


http://www.gchd.us/


Contact Information

• Allison Kimmel, PRC-MI (734) 717-4136 [email protected]://www.sph.umich.edu/prc

• Terrance Campbell, YOUR Center (810) [email protected]://yc4w.org/home/

• Daniel J. Kruger, PRC-MI [email protected]://www.sph.umich.edu/prc


http://www.gchd.us/

youth definitions of_healthy_sexuality -kimmel

Health & Medicine