Using the Internet to promote sexual health awareness among young people

High rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy amongst young people in England emphasize the need to explore innovative ways of delivering sexual health information. The National Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV advocate better sexual health education. The latter states: "Information on sexual health is often uncoordinated or poorly targeted. It is not consistently accessible and doesnt make enough use of new media and technology". The Internet is a practical accessible tool for increasing sexual health awareness. Sexual health sites can be particularly valuable information sources for young people who have trouble accessing sexual health services and can be used to publicise services by providing information that tackles access barriers (e.g. confidentiality for all ages free emergency contraception how to get there and so on). Access content site quality and level of maintenance are four components we feel should be considered prior to the development of sexual health sites. We present these as a starting point to encourage further debate on the use and evaluation of the Internet in sexual health promotion and to build on Susan Quilliams review of self-help websites in this issue of the journal. (excerpt)