Efficacy of a Health Media Literacy Education Program for Sexual Health Promotion in Community College Adolescents

Examining the efficacy of an mHealth media literacy education program for sexual health promotion in older adolescents attending community college

Scull, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., Malik, C. V., & Keefe, E. M. (2018). Examining the efficacy of an mHealth media literacy education program for sexual health promotion in older adolescents attending community college. Journal of American College Health, 66(3), 165-177. http://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2017.1393822

Abstract

Objective: To determine the feasibility of a mobile health (mHealth), media literacy education program, Media Aware, for improving sexual health outcomes in older adolescent community college students.

Participants: 184 community college students (ages 18-19) participated in the study from April-December 2015.

Methods: Eight community college campuses were randomly assigned to either the intervention or a wait-list control group. Student participants from each campus completed web-based pretest and posttest questionnaires. Intervention group students received Media Aware in between questionnaires.

Results: Several intervention effects of the Media Aware program were significant, including reducing older adolescents’ self-reported risky sexual behaviors; positively affecting knowledge, attitudes, normative beliefs, and intentions related to sexual health; and increasing media skepticism. Some gender differences in the findings were revealed.

Conclusions: The results from this study suggest that Media Aware is a promising means of delivering comprehensive sexual health education to older adolescents attending community college.