Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Correspondence: Laura B. Whiteley, M. Little is known about the risks of this behavior for minority adolescents.
Meeting sex partners online is associated with a variety of risks among African American youth; however, the Internet may be an opportunity for intervention.
In , for example, the rates of gonorrhea among African American adolescent females 15—19 years was Among other groups at high risk for HIV and STI infection, such as men who have sex with men MSM , research has examined the relationship between sexual risk and online behavior. For example, studies among MSM have found that those who seek sex partners online have greater HIV risk behaviors such as more partners, more anal sex, more unprotected sex, and greater drug use Garofalo et al.
Also, the use of chat rooms to meet sexual partners has been linked to STI outbreaks Kalichman et al. The above reports and data have supported and inspired promising online prevention campaigns for adult MSM Blas et al. There is also lack of online prevention efforts targeted to high risk African American youth Noar and Palmgreen ; Chiasson, Hirschfield, Rietmeijer The vast majority of studies examining online behaviors and sexual risk behaviors have been with adult MSM in part because of their initial greater access and adoption of online social networks and chat rooms.
However, access to digital technologies has greatly grown. Recently published data from African American teens in 4 U. Many minority adolescents have also gained access the Internet through their mobile phones. All adolescents aged 13 to 18 who were able to speak and read English were eligible to participate in the parent study. At 18 months, 1, adolescents were assessed. Adolescents who did not participate in the month 18 assessment included those who reported having scheduling conflicts or lack of interest in the program and those who could not be reached to schedule their assessment.
