Riley J Steiner1, Catherine N Rasberry2, Jessica M Sales3, Laura M Gaydos4, Karen Pazol5, Michael R Kramer6, Andrea Swartzendruber7. 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop E-75, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Electronic address: rsteiner@cdc.gov. 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop E-75, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. 3. Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. 4. Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. 5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health, 4770 Buford Highway, Mailstop F-74, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. 6. Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. 7. University of Georgia College of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 101 Buck Road, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Recently there have been calls to strengthen integration of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention messages, spurred by increasing use of long-acting reversible contraception. To assess the extent to which public health/clinical messages about unintended pregnancy prevention also address STI prevention, we conducted a content analysis of web-based health promotion information for young people. STUDY DESIGN: Websites identified through a systematic Google search were eligible for inclusion if they were operated by a United States-based organization with a mission related to public health/clinical services and the URL included: 1) original content; 2) about sexual and reproductive health; 3) explicitly for adolescents and/or young adults. Using defined protocols, URLs were screened and content was selected and analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Many of the 32 eligible websites presented information about pregnancy and STI prevention separately. Concurrent discussion of the two topics was often limited to statements about (1) strategies that can prevent both outcomes (abstinence, condoms only, condoms plus moderately or highly effective contraceptive methods) and (2) contraceptive methods that confer no STI protection. We also identified framing of condom use with moderately or highly effective contraceptive methods for back-up pregnancy prevention but not STI prevention. STI prevention methods in addition to condoms, such as STI/HIV testing, vaccination, or pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis, were typically not addressed with pregnancy prevention information. CONCLUSIONS: There may be missed opportunities for promoting STI prevention online in the context of increasing awareness of and access to a full range of contraceptive methods. IMPLICATIONS: Strengthening messages that integrate pregnancy and STI prevention may include: describing STI prevention strategies when noting that birth control methods do not prevent STIs; promoting a full complement of STI prevention strategies; and always connecting condom use to STI prevention, even when promoting condoms for back-up contraception. Published by Elsevier Inc.
OBJECTIVE: Recently there have been calls to strengthen integration of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention messages, spurred by increasing use of long-acting reversible contraception. To assess the extent to which public health/clinical messages about unintended pregnancy prevention also address STI prevention, we conducted a content analysis of web-based health promotion information for young people. STUDY DESIGN: Websites identified through a systematic Google search were eligible for inclusion if they were operated by a United States-based organization with a mission related to public health/clinical services and the URL included: 1) original content; 2) about sexual and reproductive health; 3) explicitly for adolescents and/or young adults. Using defined protocols, URLs were screened and content was selected and analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Many of the 32 eligible websites presented information about pregnancy and STI prevention separately. Concurrent discussion of the two topics was often limited to statements about (1) strategies that can prevent both outcomes (abstinence, condoms only, condoms plus moderately or highly effective contraceptive methods) and (2) contraceptive methods that confer no STI protection. We also identified framing of condom use with moderately or highly effective contraceptive methods for back-up pregnancy prevention but not STI prevention. STI prevention methods in addition to condoms, such as STI/HIV testing, vaccination, or pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis, were typically not addressed with pregnancy prevention information. CONCLUSIONS: There may be missed opportunities for promoting STI prevention online in the context of increasing awareness of and access to a full range of contraceptive methods. IMPLICATIONS: Strengthening messages that integrate pregnancy and STI prevention may include: describing STI prevention strategies when noting that birth control methods do not prevent STIs; promoting a full complement of STI prevention strategies; and always connecting condom use to STI prevention, even when promoting condoms for back-up contraception. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescents; Condoms; Health promotion; Pregnancy prevention; STI prevention
Authors: Sara S Marques; Jessica S Lin; M Summer Starling; Aubrey G Daquiz; Eva S Goldfarb; Kimberly C R Garcia; Norman A Constantine Journal: J Health Commun Date: 2015-07-06