Discourse and Misconceptions About Sexually Transmitted Infections in Lesbian Subreddits: A Health Belief Model Analysis.

IF 3 3区医学 Q1 COMMUNICATION

Health Communication Pub Date : 2025-02-19 DOI:10.1080/10410236.2025.2464810

Yi Yin Leong, Yotam Ophir, Katherine Kountz, Dror Walter, Thomas Hugh Feeley

{"title":"Discourse and Misconceptions About Sexually Transmitted Infections in Lesbian Subreddits: A Health Belief Model Analysis.","authors":"Yi Yin Leong, Yotam Ophir, Katherine Kountz, Dror Walter, Thomas Hugh Feeley","doi":"10.1080/10410236.2025.2464810","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among lesbians, sex education and health services are often heterosexual-focused, leading them to be misinformed about their personal risks. Considering the lack of adequate discussions in offline settings, online spaces allow stigmatized groups to connect, support, and share health information. This study examines how lesbians discuss STIs on Reddit through an analysis guided by the theoretical perspective of the health belief model. A total of 394 posts/comments containing STI-related keywords were observed across six subreddits: r/AskLesbians, r/actuallesbians, r/ActuallyLesbian, r/LesbianActually, r/latebloomerlesbians, and r/lesbian. Results show that users express low perceived susceptibility of STIs and suggest that protection is only necessary when penial intercourse is involved. Despite the belief that protection is effective at preventing STIs, dental dams are not often used due to their inconvenience and testing is an adequate replacement. Perceived barriers to engage in safer sexual practices further complicate users' sexual health decisions. We identify cases where the subreddits serve as cues for action as users actively encouraged others to use protection and get tested. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12889,"journal":{"name":"Health Communication","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health Communication","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2025.2464810","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"COMMUNICATION","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Despite the increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among lesbians, sex education and health services are often heterosexual-focused, leading them to be misinformed about their personal risks. Considering the lack of adequate discussions in offline settings, online spaces allow stigmatized groups to connect, support, and share health information. This study examines how lesbians discuss STIs on Reddit through an analysis guided by the theoretical perspective of the health belief model. A total of 394 posts/comments containing STI-related keywords were observed across six subreddits: r/AskLesbians, r/actuallesbians, r/ActuallyLesbian, r/LesbianActually, r/latebloomerlesbians, and r/lesbian. Results show that users express low perceived susceptibility of STIs and suggest that protection is only necessary when penial intercourse is involved. Despite the belief that protection is effective at preventing STIs, dental dams are not often used due to their inconvenience and testing is an adequate replacement. Perceived barriers to engage in safer sexual practices further complicate users' sexual health decisions. We identify cases where the subreddits serve as cues for action as users actively encouraged others to use protection and get tested. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Health Communication Multiple-

CiteScore

8.20

自引率

10.30%

发文量

184

期刊介绍： As an outlet for scholarly intercourse between medical and social sciences, this noteworthy journal seeks to improve practical communication between caregivers and patients and between institutions and the public. Outstanding editorial board members and contributors from both medical and social science arenas collaborate to meet the challenges inherent in this goal. Although most inclusions are data-based, the journal also publishes pedagogical, methodological, theoretical, and applied articles using both quantitative or qualitative methods.