| Summary: | Adolescent sexual health is currently a main concern for the government with figures of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Teenage Pregnancy at high levels. Poor sexual health can have significant health and social implications for adolescents. Despite government policy to improve sexual health, improvements are slow allowing young people to remain at risk. It is therefore of concern to health professionals, who are, at differing degrees, responsible for encouraging and facilitating positive sexual health practices, to investigate the influences on sexual health and determine how these can be used to promote positive practices. This study considers the role popular culture has to play in sexual health, with a particular focus on magazines aimed at adolescent girls.
A critical review of the literature was undertaken to investigate whether a correlation could be found between magazine reading and the sexual health of adolescent girls. Through a comprehensive literature search, nine studies were identified for inclusion in the study. These were analysed and critiqued uncovering similarities and differences between studies.
The findings illustrate that a correlation can be found between reading magazines and sexual health, but messages may have either a positive or negative impact on the adolescent. Where magazines offer positive sexual health advice and information and promote positive feminine ideologies, safe sexual health practices are encouraged. Magazines have also been found to exhort negative feminine ideologies reducing self esteem and increasing the likelihood of unsafe sexual practices. It was found that the impact a magazine has ultimately depends on the individual's personal characteristics and social situation.
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