Media interventions to promote responsible sexual behavior
1Dept. of Communication, Emerson College, 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116, USA. sarah_keller@emerson.edu
Journal of Sex Research
|December 12, 2002
Summary
Mass media effectively promotes sexual responsibility and reproductive health education, especially for young people. Campaigns using popular culture and entertainment programming increase contraceptive use and reduce teen sexual activity.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Media Studies
- Reproductive Health Education
Background:
- Media has a long history of promoting sexual responsibility internationally.
- Few opportunities have been utilized in the U.S. to leverage media for sexual health.
- Popular culture and accessible language are key to engaging young people in reproductive health discussions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the effectiveness of mass media in promoting sexual responsibility and reproductive health.
- To examine how media messages can be tailored to resonate with young audiences.
- To understand the potential of media to influence attitudes towards sex and safe sex practices.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of international studies on media exposure and contraceptive use.
- Review of domestic safe sex media campaigns and their impact on teen behavior.
- Examination of strategies used by U.S. advocates to integrate health messages into entertainment programming.
Main Results:
- International studies show a strong association between exposure to family planning messages and contraceptive use.
- Domestic safe sex campaigns correlate with increased condom use among teens and reduced sexual activity.
- Subtle health messages are being integrated into U.S. entertainment programming.
Conclusions:
- Mass media is a powerful tool for advancing sexual responsibility and reproductive health education.
- Tailoring messages to young people's cultural context enhances effectiveness.
- Continued collaboration between health advocates and commercial media is crucial for public health messaging.
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