Examining reproductive and sexual health during the transition to adulthood

Project Abstract Emerging adults attending community college are an underserved population at risk for poor sexual health outcomes. Compared to students at 4-year institutions, community college students are more likely to experience unintended pregnancy and STIs and are less likely to have access to comprehensive sexual health

resources. Additionally, emerging adults in this population are voracious and adept media consumers and producers, and media have an important influence on emerging adults’ relationships and sexual health. Community college students make up almost half of the college population, but relatively little research has

focused on their sexual health and media use, and to our knowledge no research has done so longitudinally across emerging adulthood. As part of R01HD099134 (PI: Scull), we have recruited a large sample of young community college students from across the U.S. (N=1647) to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief media

literacy education program for promoting sexual health. Measures on the baseline and 1-year follow-up questionnaire include attitudes, normative beliefs, and behaviors related to sexual health and media. The sample is diverse with respect to race-ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. As part of the proposed

project, we will leverage this existing sample to conduct a rigorous longitudinal cohort sequential design to accomplish three Aims. In Aim 1, we will examine sexual health and quality of life trajectories of community college students (total N=2247) across emerging adulthood (from age 18 to 24), including the moderating

influence of developmental contexts: gender and sexual identity, education, employment, relationships, housing, health, and socio-structural barriers. In Aim 2, we will conduct the first longitudinal examination of the reciprocal relationship between media use and sexual health across emerging adulthood with attention to

how critical media message processing may moderate this relationship and protect emerging adults from harmful media influence. Finally, in Aim 3, we propose an innovative mixed methods design with purposive sampling and multiple points of qualitative and quantitative data integration to better understand how

community colleges can create more inclusive and affirming environments to support the sexual health of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY). We will use quantitative data on community college resource availability and quality, conduct in-depth interviews with 30 diverse SGMY, and utilize member checking to

contribute to validity of our results. An advisory panel of community college administrators will review recruitment and data collection protocols, assist with efficient study dissemination, and form the beginnings of a network of key stakeholders invested in promoting the sexual health of community college students. Findings

from this study will inform college resources and policies – beginning the process of enacting structural change to better meet the sexual health needs of the rising generation of diverse emerging adults attending community college across the U.S.