Is a Sexual Health App the Best Way to Reach Teenagers?

The recently launched app called Teen in NYC Protection+, provides information on health services for New York teens. This is the work of the Bloomberg administration, who, with the funding of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, say that the focus of their app is on informing adolescents about sexual health.

Health department assistant commissioner Deborah Kaplan explained, ‘We want to make sure that no teen who’s sexually active doesn’t know they can go for services to protect themselves and stay healthy.’ Therefore, the app is based on three main sections; where to go, what to get and what to expect. The first section lists local clinic that offers teenagers sexual health services such as tests for HIV, STDs and pregnancy, and the information is tailored to the specific young person when they input their address and specific services and birth control methods they are looking for.

In the what to get section, teenagers can find specific information about different types of birth control, including advice on how to use each method, whether or not it protects against STDs and if it’s available over-the-counter, or you need a prescription. The what to expect section is the most interactive of all the features, including videos of pregnant teens and examples of what it is like to visit a clinic. For the social media savvy teens (which is probably all of them) the app allows you to share its content on Facebook and spread the message of sexual wellness.

According to Sally Guttmacher, a Steinhardt professor of public health, the app, as an addition of sexual health taught at home and school, could turn out to be a great way to teach teenagers to look out for their wellbeing. ‘You have to try a variety of strategies with teens, and this one seems reasonable, as it will reach some teens and make them think,’ she said. ‘It looks like really useful information for sexually active teens to have.’

However, Niobe Way, a Steinhardt professor of applied psychology, feels that apps aren’t the best way to educate youth about sexual wellness. ‘The city should be dealing with the problem of teen pregnancy through improving the quality of schools so girls’ and boys’ minds are genuinely engaged,’ she said. ‘The app will not likely be a very effective way to prevent teen pregnancy. However, providing health information to teenagers is always a good thing.’