YOUNG PEOPLE’S ONLINE SOURCES OF CONTRACEPTIVE INFORMATION AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH CONTRACEPTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES

Objectives

We aimed to assess concordance between adolescent and young adults’ (AYA) preferred and actual sources of online contraceptive information; and examine associations between sources and contraceptive attitudes and knowledge.

Methods

We used data from a 2023 online national survey of AYA (15-29 years) assigned-female-at-birth (n=1,150). We examined the prevalence of preferred and actual information sources, and assessed multivariable associations between information received from websites and social networking sites (SNS) and four contraceptive knowledge and attitude measures.

Results

One-third of respondents preferred websites as a contraceptive information source (33%), but they were an actual source for only 15% in the past year. Conversely, SNS were a preferred source for only 10%, yet the second most common actual source (22%). Adjusting for age, sexual activity, and other information sources, receiving information from websites was positively associated with identifying the most effective contraceptive method (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.83, 95%-CI:1.82-4.40) and, marginally, with agreeing that hormonal contraception is safe (aOR=1.63, 95%-CI:0.98-2.70). Receiving information from SNS was positively associated with identifying the most effective contraceptive method (aOR=1.87, 95%-CI:1.26-2.77), but had a marginal negative association with believing that benefits outweigh side effects (aOR=0.72, 95%-CI:0.48-1.08).

Conclusions

Websites were a desired source with potential positive impacts on contraceptive outcomes, but AYA face challenges accessing them. SNS, while less desired than websites, are a more common source with potential positive and negative impacts on outcomes. Future research, advocacy, and clinical practice should distinguish between these online sources, monitor the impacts of SNS, and leverage websites as preferred and beneficial contraceptive information sources for AYA.