Date of Award

Fall 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

School of Information Science

First Advisor

Vanessa Kitzie

Abstract

This dissertation uses a qualitative, constructionist approach to examine the sociotechnical and cultural dynamics that shape digital sexual health-seeking practices of young adults. Guided by information practices and affordance theory, the research draws on semi-structured interviews and digital walkthroughs with 20 young adults (ages 18–26) from a convenience sample of young adults residing in South Carolina. Participants described how they use platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit not only to locate information but to assess its trustworthiness, inclusivity, and personal relevance in real time. Through in-depth accounts and screen-based demonstrations via digital walkthroughs, the study examines how participants engage in cross-platform seeking, weigh social and visual cues, and manage emotional risk while seeking information about sexually transmitted infections, contraception, relationships, gender identity, and more.

Findings reveal that young adults are not passive consumers of health content but instead demonstrate a range of adaptive, socially grounded information-seeking practices. These practices are shaped by multiple intersecting factors such as, identity, peer norms, stigma, content visibility, and platform design. This study contributes original insights by identifying how stigma and platform-level barriers, such as algorithmic suppression and moderation of stigmatized content, limit young adults’ ability to access relevant sexual health information. It also shows how youth navigate these barriers by developing strategic, sometimes covert methods of seeking, such as using alternate accounts, switching platforms, and relying on identity-based communities for support.

By integrating perspectives from information science, public health, and communication studies, this work contributes to the development of a youth-informed framework for understanding how sexual health information is sought and experienced across digital platforms. It contributes to the field by extending theories of information practices into visually immersive, algorithmically curated environments. The study also highlights the needs for more thoughtful content moderation approaches that recognize the sensitivities surrounding sexual health discourse, both online and offline, particularly for marginalized youth who face heighted barriers to accessing reliable and inclusive information.

Lastly, this research challenges deficit-based views of young adults as misinformed or reckless and instead highlights their agency, creativity, and resilience in navigating complex and often contradictory online health landscapes.

Rights

© 2025, Alexander Nicolas Vera

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