Information on pregnancy prevention and access to family planning methods are considered to be key issues in sexual and reproductive health and sexual and reproductive human rights (e.g. IPPF Declaration of Sexual Rights 2008; WAS Declaration of Sexual Rights 2014). This is because unplanned and unwanted pregnancies – as well as the fear of them – place a particular and significant burden on the health of girls and women in many ways.
Communication about contraceptive methods takes place in different contexts (e.g. family, school, doctor's office, peer group, partner relationship) and through different media (e.g. mass media, social media).
Current survey
In recent years, social media have proved highly influential in the health communication field. Young people and adults now often turn to online media first when they have questions about contraception.
There is a lot of useful, high-quality information about pregnancy prevention on social media. However, there is also incomplete and incorrect information (misinformation), as well as deliberately disseminated false information (disinformation, 'fake news'). Last but not least, social media communication about contraceptive methods is also influenced by zeitgeist trends (e.g. the current trend of very strong criticism of the pill and hormonal contraception in general) and product marketing (e.g. the marketing of new contraceptive apps for so-called natural family planning).
Relevance of the research project
The study is expected to provide in-depth knowledge of how contraceptive methods are presented and discussed in social media in German-speaking countries today, thus filling a gap in scientific research. The project results are also relevant to practice, as the findings will help professional sexuality education to a) meet their target groups where they are in terms of current social media discourse, and b) develop and disseminate their own social media education materials in a targeted way.
Project related publications
Döring, N., Lehmann, S., & Schumann-Doermer, C. (2023). Verhütung auf YouTube, Instagram und TikTok [Contraception on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt 66, 990–999. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-023-03698-0
Fulltext PDF unter: https://rdcu.be/dd7k8
Döring, N., & Lehmann, S. (2023). Nutzung und Bewertung von Verhütungsinformationen in Sozialen Medien: Eine Interviewstudie mit Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen [Use and evaluation of contraceptive information in social media: an interview study with adolescents and young adults]. Zeitschrift für Sexualforschung. eFirst Nutzung und Bewertung von Verhütungsinformationen in Sozialen Medien: Eine Interviewstudie mit Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen
Döring, N., & Lehmann, S. (2022). Verhütungsinformationen in Sozialen Medien: TikTok überholt Instagram und YouTube [Contraceptive information on social media: TikTok overtakes Instagram and YouTube], FORUM Sexualaufklärung und Familienplanung: Informationsdienst der Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA), 1, 7–10.
https://doi.org/10.17623/BZgA_SRH:forum_2022-1_beitrag_verhuetg_soz_medien
Döring, N. & Lehmann, S. (2022). Von Dr. Sommer zu Dr. TikTok. Sexuelle Gesundheitskommunikation mittels Online-Videoplattformen [From Dr. Sommer to Dr. TikTok. Sexual health communication via online video platforms.]. merz - medien + erziehung - zeitschrift für medienpädagogik, 66(1), 18–26. https://www.merz-zeitschrift.de/alle-ausgaben/details/2022-01-gesundheit-und-medien/
Link to full text: https://www.nicola-doering.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Doering2021_Antibabypille-Soziale-Medien.pdf
Döring, N., Lehmann, S., & Schumann-Doermer, C. (2022). Verhütung in der deutschsprachigen Wikipedia: Eine Inhalts- und Qualitätsanalyse [Contraception in the German-language Wikipedia: A content and quality analysis]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt – Gesundheitsforschung – Gesundheitsschutz, 65(6), 706–717. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-022-03537-8
Döring, N. & Lehmann, S. (2022). Verhütungskommunikation in Sozialen Medien: Forschungsstand und praktische Konsequenzen [Contraceptive communication on social media: State of research and practical consequences]. pro familia magazin, 03/2022, 22–26. https://www.profamilia.de/fileadmin/publikationen/Magazin/2022/pro_familia_magazin_2022-3_IHV.pdf
Link to full text: https://www.nicola-doering.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Doring-Lehmann-2022_Verhutungskommunikation_Soziale_Medien.pdf
Döring, N. (2021). Mehr Frust als Lust? Die Antibabypille in Sozialen Medien [More frustration than pleasure? The birth control pill in social media]. merz – medien + erziehung. zeitschrift für medienpädagogik, 65(3), 27–34. https://www.merz-zeitschrift.de/alle-ausgaben/details/2021-03-sexualitaet-und-medien/
Link to full text: https://www.nicola-doering.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Doering2021_Antibabypille-Soziale-Medien.pdf
Döring, N. (2021). Verhütungsinformationen in Sozialen Medien. Wichtig, aber auch richtig? [Contraceptive information in social media. Relevant, but also right?]. FORUM Sexualaufklärung und Familienplanung: Informationsdienst der Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA), 1/2021, 40–41. https://doi.org/10.17623/BZgA_SRH:forum_2021-1_beitrag_verhuetung_soz_medien