ONLINE INFORMATION SEEKING ON SEXUALITY BY ADOLESCENTS
A SCOPING REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35919/rbsh.v36.1303Keywords:
Adolescent, Sexual health, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Health Education, Access to InformationAbstract
This study aimed to conduct a scoping review on the behavior of seeking online information about sexuality among adolescents aged 10 to 19. The initial search yielded 1,145 records across the databases BASE, EBSCO, EMBASE, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science, which, after applying eligibility criteria, resulted in eight (8) scientific studies. The studies were analyzed based on generic and interest-specific variables. The results indicated that this behavior is influenced by sociodemographic factors (such as socioeconomic status, gender, age, and sexual identity/orientation) and interest-specific variables (online platforms used, motivations, trust in the source, topics searched, and ways of using the information). Emotional issues were also observed among adolescents, such as confusion, frustration, and anxiety, associated with the behavior of seeking information about sexuality. These findings reinforce the need to include health and media literacy in sexuality education strategies, as well as the importance of expanding studies that comprehensively assess this behavior. It is recommended to use robust samples that relate adolescents' individual and contextual variables to the behavior of seeking information about sexuality, from motivations to the applicability of the information.
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