 |
|
Display of Health Risk Behaviors on MySpace by AdolescentsPrevalence and Associations
Megan A. Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH;
Malcolm R. Parks, PhD;
Frederick J. Zimmerman, PhD;
Tara E. Brito;
Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(1):27-34.
Objective To determine the prevalence of and associations among displayed risk behavior information that suggests sexual behavior, substance use, and violence in a random sample of the self-reported 18-year-old adolescents' publicly accessible MySpace Web profiles.
Design Cross-sectional study using content analysis of Web profiles between July 15 and September 30, 2007.
Setting www.MySpace.com.
Participants A total of 500 publicly available Web profiles of self-reported 18-year-olds in the United States.
Main Outcome Measures Prevalence and associations among displayed health risk behaviors, including sexual behavior, substance use, or violence, on Web profiles.
Results A total of 270 (54.0%) profiles contained risk behavior information: 120 (24.0%) referenced sexual behaviors, 205 (41.0%) referenced substance use, and 72 (14.4)% referenced violence. Female adolescents were less likely to display violence references (odds ratio [OR], 0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.6). Reporting a sexual orientation other than "straight" was associated with increased display of references to sexual behavior (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 1.27-15.98). Displaying church or religious involvement was associated with decreased display of all outcomes (sex: OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.12-0.86; substance use: OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.19-0.79; violence: OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.87; any risk factor: OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.19-0.7). Displaying sport or hobby involvement was associated with decreased references to violence (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.09-0.79) and any risk factor (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.27-0.79).
Conclusions Adolescents frequently display risk behavior information on public Web sites. Further study is warranted to explore the validity of such information and the potential for using social networking Web sites for health promotion.
Author Affiliations: Departments of Pediatrics (Drs Moreno, Zimmerman, and Christakis), Communication (Dr Parks), and Health Services (Drs Zimmerman and Christakis), Section of Adolescent Medicine (Dr Moreno), and Child Health Institute (Drs Moreno, Zimmerman, and Christakis), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Dr Moreno), and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute (Drs Moreno, Zimmerman, and Christakis), Seattle; and University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana (Ms Brito).
 CiteULike  Connotea  Delicious  Digg  Facebook  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter
What's this?
RELATED ARTICLES
Reducing At-Risk Adolescents' Display of Risk Behavior on a Social Networking Web Site: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Intervention Trial
Megan A. Moreno, Ann VanderStoep, Malcolm R. Parks, Frederick J. Zimmerman, Ann Kurth, and Dimitri A. Christakis
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(1):35-41.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
This Month in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(1):5.
FULL TEXT
Social Networking Sites: Finding a Balance Between Their Risks and Benefits
Kimberly J. Mitchell and Michele Ybarra
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(1):87-89.
EXTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Teenagers Wanting Medical Advice: Is MySpace the Answer?
Krista M. Versteeg, Jennifer M. Knopf, Stephen Posluszny, Anna-Liisa B. Vockell, and Maria T. Britto
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(1):91-92.
EXTRACT
| FULL TEXT
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
|
Measuring Exposure to Protobacco Marketing and Media: A Field Study Using Ecological Momentary Assessment
Martino et al.
Nicotine Tob Res 2011;0:ntr223v2-ntr223.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Case Study: An Ethics Case Study of HIV Prevention Research on Facebook: The Just/Us Study
Bull et al.
J Pediatr Psychol 2011;36:1082-1092.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Alcohol References on Undergraduate Males' Facebook Profiles
Egan and Moreno
Am J Mens Health 2011;5:413-420.
ABSTRACT
Teens Reflect on Their Sources of Contraceptive Information
Jones et al.
Journal of Adolescent Research 2011;26:423-446.
ABSTRACT
Media Education
Council on Communications and Media
Pediatrics 2010;126:1012-1017.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Children, Adolescents, Substance Abuse, and the Media
Strasburger and The Council on Communications and Media
Pediatrics 2010;126:791-799.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Sexuality, Contraception, and the Media
Strasburger and The Council on Communications and Media
Pediatrics 2010;126:576-582.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Do Medical Students Cross the Line Online?
Shifrin
AAP Grand Rounds 2010;23:46-46.
FULL TEXT
Health Effects of Media on Children and Adolescents
Strasburger et al.
Pediatrics 2010;125:756-767.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
To Tweet, or Not to Tweet: Gender Differences and Potential Positive and Negative Health Outcomes of Adolescents' Social Internet Use
Pujazon-Zazik and Park
Am J Mens Health 2010;4:77-85.
ABSTRACT
The Mental Status Examination in the Age of the Internet
Recupero
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2010;38:15-26.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
New directions in tobacco promotion and brand communication
Dewhirst
Tobacco Control 2009;18:161-162.
FULL TEXT
Many teens discuss risky behaviors on MySpace
Kemp
AAP News 2009;30:2-2.
FULL TEXT
Reducing At-Risk Adolescents' Display of Risk Behavior on a Social Networking Web Site: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Intervention Trial
Moreno et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2009;163:35-41.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Social Networking Sites: Finding a Balance Between Their Risks and Benefits
Mitchell and Ybarra
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2009;163:87-89.
FULL TEXT
|
