How Malaysian Adolescents Navigate Sexual Health Information on the Internet.

Abstract

Significant sociocultural barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information influence what is acceptable to discuss and learn within the Malaysian community. To address gaps in their knowledge, adolescents routinely turn to the Internet. This study identifies the ways they navigate SRH information found online. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 17 Malaysian adolescents. The data were analysed with reflexive thematic analysis. Participants navigate SRH information using intuitive strategies, known locally as pandai-pandai. This important cultural concept involves balancing between adherence to social norms and resourcefulness in problem-solving. Pandai-pandai strategies were observed in three domains: (1) navigating SRH sources, (2) evaluating and verifying SRH information, and (3) processing SRH information. Malaysian adolescents' strategies for evaluating SRH information extend beyond traditional critical evaluation models and are driven by emotional, social, and cultural criteria, requiring a reconsideration of what constitutes critical evaluation in this context.