[Koran-Digital] Health risks for kids online

Health risks for kids online



HEALTH experts say doctors, parents and schools have a crucial role to

play in minimising the negative effects of internet pornography on

adolescents.





Their comments follow the publication of an editorial in the MJA that

draws on the latest evidence to show how an explosion in the use of

sexually explicit online content by young people is affecting their

health. (1)





The editorial authors — Dr Rebecca Guy and Professor John Kaldor, both

from the Sexual Health Program at the University of NSW, and Professor

George Patton, from the Centre for Adolescent Health at the University

of Melbourne — said adolescents were now more easily able to engage with

pornography than ever before, both by choice and inadvertently. They

referred to a comprehensive Australian survey that showed that 28% of

9–16-year-olds had seen sexual material online.





The authors said cross-sectional studies had demonstrated a strong

relationship between internet exposure to sexually explicit material and

sexual behaviour that predisposed adolescents to adverse sexual and

mental health outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections,

unwanted pregnancy and engagement in aggressive or violent sexual practices.





However, they said sex education and open discussion of sexual matters

within schools and families assisted young people in decision making,

and did not increase the likelihood of earlier engagement in sex.





"Therefore, a continuing emphasis on these prevention strategies should

serve as a counter to new pressures that internet exposure may be

exerting on young people's decision making", they wrote.





Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, a child and adolescent psychologist, said

software was available to help restrict children's exposure to explicit

content, but stressed that it needed to be augmented with actual

monitoring and supervision.





Dr Carr-Gregg said he was concerned that pornography normalised multiple

partners and unsafe sexual practices.





"But the most damaging lesson of all that our children take from

pornography is that sex has nothing to do with intimacy or love.





"Given the hundreds of studies linking TV violence to real-life violence

over the past 30 years, it would be naive to believe that porn has no

effect", he said.





Dr Michael Flood, a sociologist at the University of Wollongong, said

pornography had some potential benefits, such as teaching young people

about their bodies and sexual practice and was associated with the

liberalising of young people's sexual attitudes.





However, he said, in isolation, pornography offered poor sexual

education as it taught nothing about negotiating consent, it largely

neglected condom use and provided no insight into intimacy and

relationships.





"For me, the biggest concern is that pornography use makes it more

likely that young men will condone sexual violence and perpetrate it

themselves", he said.





Dr Melissa Kang, a senior lecturer in general practice at Westmead

Hospital's clinical school, said any research on sexual behaviour and

attitudes should be viewed within its cultural context.





Emerging interest in sexual experimentation, increased sexual arousal

and attraction, and entering romantic and sexual relationships were

normal in young people, she said.





Public concern about pornography was, broadly speaking, a moral issue

"with the clear proviso that sexual violence and gender-based violence

is unacceptable — morally and in every way".





"Australian society has enormous difficulty being open with young people

about sexuality and sexual development and so an upside is that concern

about exposure to porn may force more dialogue about this between

adults, between adults and young people, and between parents and their

adolescent children", Dr Kang said.





Because doctors were considered the most credible source of information

about sexual health by young people, they had a huge opportunity to

positively influence sexual development and health, she said.





Doctors should explain to young people their right to confidential

consultations about contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted

disease.





- Amanda Bryan





1. MJA 2012; 196: 546-547





Posted 21 May 2012



http://www.mjainsight.com.au/view?post=Health+risks+for+kids+online&post_id=9273&cat=news-and-research



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