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Review
. 2018 Oct;30(5):305-309.
doi: 10.1097/GCO.0000000000000485.

The use of technology in the sexual health education especially among minority adolescent girls in the United States

Lynae M Brayboy  1   2 , Katryna McCoy  3 , Sneha Thamotharan  4   5 , Emily Zhu  6 , Gabriela Gil  7 , Christopher Houck  4   5
Affiliations
Review

The use of technology in the sexual health education especially among minority adolescent girls in the United States

Lynae M Brayboy et al. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to examine current sexual health education technologies for adolescents and identify gaps in knowledge. Disparities in sexual health education are prominent and mainly affect young women of color. As a result, the use of technology to reach these marginalized populations could potentially invoke change. Thus, it is crucial to determine the viability of technology as a mechanism to bridge the knowledge gap regarding sexual health for adolescents that are most at risk of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.

Recent findings: With a lack of standardized, evidenced-based sexual health education programs in the United States, the future of comprehensive sexual health education is moving toward smartphone apps. Many sexual health technologies exist that target adolescents, most of which have been proven to demonstrate positive effects. Use of mobile apps, especially for vulnerable populations, can be more effective because of privacy and widespread dissemination.

Summary: Ultimately, more research needs to be conducted to determine the most effective content for these sexual health apps. Additionally, more research should be conducted on effective sexual health apps for marginalized populations to determine whether technology is a viable solution.

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Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

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