Seeking Sexual Health Information and Sex Partners Online Is Associated with Sexual Activity and Risky Sexual Behavior Among High School Students

Background and Purpose: Adolescents are increasingly connected to each other and the world through frequent online access and smartphone messaging. While recent literature has focused on the risks and behaviors associated with “sext messaging,” there has been little research on how these behaviors are associated with other online behaviors (e.g., cyberbullying, online sexual health information seeking, and sex partner seeking online). Therefore this study tests the mediating relationship of sexual and gender minority status and sexting behaviors on sexual activity and risky sex behaviors through cyberbullying and online information and sex-seeking behaviors.

Method: A probability sample of 1,389 high school students took both the 2013 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey and a supplemental questionnaire. All responses were anonymous self-reports. Students were asked how often they go online, if they or anyone they knew had sent or received a sext message, and what if any types of sexual health or sexual orientation information they accessed online. Students were also asked if they had been propositioned online for sex by someone they previously knew, by a stranger, or if they had searched for a sex partner themselves online. Logistic regression analysis was used to test the mediating relationship between online frequency, smartphone ownership and sexting behaviors through online sexual health information and partner seeking, on sexual activity and risky sex behaviors.

Results: More than two-thirds of youth reported daily Internet use (69.1%) and smartphone ownership (69.8%). More than half reported knowing someone who sexts (51.5%) with fewer reporting sending (17.4%) or receiving (38.6%) a sext message. Online sexual health information seeking was reported by one-third of youth (35.7%), 17.7% of youth reported being solicited for sex online by someone they knew, and 16.4% were solicited by a stranger for sex. Only 4.6% reported seeking sex partners online.  Mediation analysis revealed that online sexual health information seeking mediated the relationship between sexual minority status, knowing someone who sexts, and sending a sext, and reports of sexual intercourse. Being propositioned online for sex by an acquaintance mediated the relationships between sexual minority status, sending or receiving sexts, on sexual activity. Online sexual health information seeking also mediated the relationship between knowing a “sexter” or sending sexts on risky sexual behavior. Having a known person proposition them for sex online mediated the relationship between receiving a sext and risky sexual behavior.

Conclusions and Implications: The relationship between online sexual health information seeking and both sexual activity and risky sexual activity warrants further exploration. Whether information seeking inspires sexual behaviors, vice versa, or some confounder causes both, this association elucidates the need for accurate and accessible sexual health information online. Further, the significant relationship between sexual orientation and sexting behaviors, through online information and sex partner seeking, on both sexual activity and risky sexual behavior, suggests the need for sexual health information tailored to these youth. Practitioners working with sexual minority youth should be knowledgeable about the nuanced sexual health needs of this vulnerable population in order to help them prevent unwanted sexual outcomes.