Little sisters in cyberspace: Rural Black adolescent girls' selections of, interactions with, and interpretations of sexual and reproductive health messages on the Internet

As Internet access and use increase among all adolescents, there is a need for a better understanding of the factors that play a role in how adolescent audiences choose, use and evaluate the sexual and sexual health messages they receive via this medium. This is particularly true for Black girls who are frequently described as being initiated earlier into sexual activity and suffer poorer reproductive health outcomes than their White peers.;This study provides empirical data on Black adolescent girls' use, interactions, and interpretations of various websites. Also examined were the girls' website preferences and where they turned to seek sexual and reproductive health information. In-depth interviews and an observational study of website interactions with twenty (20) Black adolescent females aged 13--16 were conducted during the summer of 2003. Major findings from this research suggest that Black adolescent girls are indeed "selective in their media choices, creative in their interpretations of media content, and active users of media material" (Steele & Brown, 1995). Racial identity and racial salience played a significant role in their interpretations of mediated text. Other key factors including literacy levels, parental monitoring, and cultural appropriateness limited the girls' use of the Internet as a source for accessing sexual health information.