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IJERPH
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The Use of Technology to Promote Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
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The Use of Technology to Promote Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 8828

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Judith Cornelius

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
Interests: adolescents; sexually transmitted infections; HIV prevention; mobile technology; women; safe sex communications; minority populations; LGBT; teen pregnancy; parent–child; grandparent–grandchild

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Each person goes through puberty and adolescent development, and each person deserves the right to achieve healthy sexual development. Adolescents are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, HIV or unintended pregnancy than any other age group. Adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections are serious public health issues.  To improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health, it is essential to develop a supportive environment with parents, peers and health educators. Adolescents should have access to evidence-based comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and health care providers should have the knowledge and skills to deliver sexual and reproductive health services. Yet, with the current pandemic and with remote care and learning, did gaps in the delivery of adolescent sexual and reproductive health information occur? Have innovative mobile strategies been developed to reach adolescents, especially LGBT youths with adolescent and sexual health information in schools, shelters and health care settings during the pandemic?  

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge concerning adolescent sexual and reproductive health and mobile technology. New research papers, reviews, case reports and conference papers are welcome to this issue. Papers dealing with strategies to deliver adolescent sexual and reproductive health both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic with mobile technology are also welcome. Other accepted manuscript types include methodological papers, position papers, brief reports, and commentaries.

Dr. Judith Cornelius
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adolescent
  • sexual health
  • reproductive health
  • innovation
  • safe sex communication
  • mobile technology
  • parent–child sexual communication
  • grandparent–grandchild sexual communication
  • risk reduction sexual communication
  • LGBTQ adolescents
  • sexual minorities
  • telemedicine

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 257 KiB  
Editorial
The Impact of Technology on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Needs
by Judith Bacchus Cornelius and Jaleesa Marshay Smoot
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8684; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148684 - 17 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1682
Abstract
The call for articles for the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Special Issue “Using mobile technology to promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH)” was proposed to identify efforts to provide adolescent SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Technology to Promote Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health)

Research

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17 pages, 1379 KiB  
Article
Sexual Minorities and Loneliness: Exploring Sexuality through Social Media and Gender–Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Supports
by Linda Charmaraman, Alice Zhang, Kaitlyn Wang and Becky Chen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(3), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030300 - 4 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2942
Abstract
We examined online and offline social supports for sexual minority adolescents, underscoring the understudied developmental period of early adolescence and the mental outcome of loneliness. Stemming from a larger study in the northeast U.S., 967 youth participants were 26% sexual minority, 53% female, [...] Read more.
We examined online and offline social supports for sexual minority adolescents, underscoring the understudied developmental period of early adolescence and the mental outcome of loneliness. Stemming from a larger study in the northeast U.S., 967 youth participants were 26% sexual minority, 53% female, 45% male, and 2% other/nonbinary (mean age = 13.1, SD = 1.52). LGBTQ+ youth reported significantly higher levels of loneliness compared to their heterosexual counterparts. To understand potential sources of social support while exploring their sexual identities, we compared the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth at both ends of the loneliness spectrum. Gaining knowledge about their sexual orientation from LGBTQ+ organization websites, participating in gender–sexuality alliances, and using TikTok or Instagram were associated with lower levels of loneliness. Providing social support to online friends was associated with lower loneliness; however, receiving online support was not associated with lower loneliness. Furthermore, proactive social media engagement such as posting uplifting content, joining online communities, or raising awareness about social issues were associated with lower levels of loneliness. The results provide guidance on specific youth behaviors and online communities beyond a focus on screen time while highlighting the continued need for social support to ameliorate loneliness, such as gender–sexuality alliance networks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Technology to Promote Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health)
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Review

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17 pages, 1098 KiB  
Review
Are mHealth Interventions Effective in Improving the Uptake of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Adolescents? A Scoping Review
by Nazeema Isaacs, Xolani Ntinga, Thabo Keetsi, Lindelwa Bhembe, Bongumenzi Mthembu, Allanise Cloete and Candice Groenewald
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(2), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020165 - 31 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2946
Abstract
Adolescents continue to face challenges to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) both locally and internationally. Digital technologies such as the Internet, text messaging, and social media are often viewed as valuable tools for disseminating information on SRH. Mobile health, also known as [...] Read more.
Adolescents continue to face challenges to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) both locally and internationally. Digital technologies such as the Internet, text messaging, and social media are often viewed as valuable tools for disseminating information on SRH. Mobile health, also known as mHealth, is a medical and public health practise that uses these digital technologies to communicate information. The literature has revealed that mHealth interventions have a positive outcome in delivering SRH information to adolescents. This review aimed to synthesise empirical studies that evaluate mHealth interventions and assess the extent to which these mHealth interventions promote sexual and reproductive health outcomes among young people. This scoping review reviewed the literature across four databases, including EBSCOhost, Scopus, Proquest, and Cochrane, and included 12 articles. The findings have shown that mHealth interventions are effective in enhancing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge and attitudes among young people in both low-middle and high-income countries. However, comprehensive longitudinal studies are necessary to measure the sustainability and long-term influence of mHealth interventions on behaviour. It is recommended that with artificial intelligence (AI) improvements, there is a possible path to bolstering mHealth interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Technology to Promote Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health)
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