An Evidence-Based Educational Intervention Utilizing Technology to Provide Sexual Education to College Aged Students 18-24

Sexually transmitted infections (STI's) and sexually transmitted diseases are at their highest levels ever in the United States (US) with annual increases for the past six years. The Department of Human Health and Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control are considering the rise in these levels the next epidemic crisis facing health care in the US. Half of all STI's and STD's are being contracted by those who are between the ages of 15-24 and the current education available is failing to address this crisis. This study was aimed at improving sexual education among college aged students 18-24 with the use of Media Aware, a technology-based application focused on sexual health and knowledge. This was meant to be a prospective randomized analytical experimental study with a control and intervention group to compare differences in knowledge after utilization of Media Aware. Participants were asked to complete three surveys (Pre, Post, 6-week Post) based on intervention (completion of Media Aware program and surveys) or control (completion of surveys only) status. The recidivism rate of participants in follow up of the project made it difficult to ascertain statistical significance between the intervention and control groups. Descriptive statistics related to 10 participants (intervention group) who only completed surveys one and two were evaluated, but each Likert type question failed to reject the Null hypothesis that knowledge was improved with the Media Aware program. This finding was repeated with the five participants (intervention group) who completed all three surveys. The sample size of the groups made statistical significance inconsequential. Positive trends in data related to the survey questions were promising and indicated that some knowledge was being obtained after using the Media Aware program. Further research with this program would be beneficial to other providers in this milieu. Education with the use of technology and a classroom setting may prove more beneficial to this age group. More studies should be aimed at the creation of teaching modalities that college age students between the ages of 18-24 are willing to utilize and/or seek out.